Paula McNeill

April 2020

It was Labor Day Weekend, 2002, and I was spending it with family, off the grid, at our Yaak, Montana cabin. I woke up in the middle of the night with severe stomach pains and felt like something had ruptured. When I returned to Spokane, I immediately went to my PCP. He was not available, but the Nurse Practitioner was. After checking my abdomen, she told me she could feel a mass and wanted to send me to a gynecologist right away. The gynecologist they made an appointment with could not get me in for two weeks. That was too long. After talking with a friend, she was able to put me in touch with a gynecologic oncologist who had just moved to town. The best thing I ever did was finding her.

On September 11, 2002 I was in surgery. I had ovarian cancer. My doctor did a complete hysterectomy. When the lab results came back, I was told I had a rare form of ovarian cancer called GCT (Granulosa Cell Tumor). Less than 5% of ovarian cancer patients have this type of cancer. I was scared. I was the same age as my mother, 51, when she died from ovarian cancer. From her diagnosis to death was two years. The only “good” thing was my rare cancer was slow growing and not the same as my mother’s. I was Stage 1B. No other treatment, other than surgery, was required.

I recovered and life went back to normal for five years. Then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a lumpectomy and radiation, I was good to go. I didn’t know at the time, but if you have ovarian or breast cancer, you are at a higher risk for getting the other.

For the next nine years I lived in ignorant bliss. I had beaten breast and ovarian cancer. Life was good. I had a wonderful husband and family and a dynamic job I loved. I was getting ready to retire. I was given a surprise retirement party where former coworkers, current coworkers, and family attended. It was amazing! It was a good thing they had it a week before my last day of work because I never made it to my last day. I woke up Friday morning, February 26, 2016, throwing up and extremely ill. I went to the doctor on Monday where I was told I probably had the flu and was dehydrated. By 11:00 pm I was sitting in the ER going downhill. A kidney stone had caused a blockage, and I needed surgery immediately. They also found three tumors in my abdomen. My cancer was back.

After recovering from kidney stone surgery, I then had debulking surgery where the tumors were removed along with my appendix and spleen. Chemo started a few weeks later. Chemo was called BEP (bleomycin/etoposin/cisplatin). I endured six months of nausea, vomiting, blood transfusions, platelet transfusions, B12 shots, magnesium shots, and several trips to the ER for fluids. Once that was done, I had another surgery. My doctor declared me cancer-free for now. Recovery has been long and hard. I still have neuropathy in my hands and feet, but I have gained a lot of strength back. I credit this to the YMCA LiveStrong program. For patients that need help getting back in shape both mentally and physically, I highly recommend this program.

Since 2016 I have had hernia repair surgery along with another debulking surgery this year. My doctor thinks I won’t have surgery again. I have too much scar tissue. Because chemo was so rough, I’m not sure if I will do that again. Of course, never say never. I am waiting to find out genetic testing results and available clinical trials.

Make sure you remain vigilant, listen to your body, and don’t postpone having your exams and lab work. Sometimes we get so busy that we let our testing and appointments slide. I realize that my cancer is now a chronic disease that I will always need to manage.