Sandy Ragsdale

May 2018

I am a survivor of ovarian cancer. I am also a survivor of Crohn’s disease, having been diagnosed at age 19. The reason I mention Crohn’s is the fact that ovarian cancer and Crohn’s have symptoms in common.

In 2016 at the age of 71, I was retired and leading a busy volunteer and travel life. After returning from a three-week vacation I noticed how fatigued I had become. I also noticed that I would lose a couple of pounds, hit a plateau, and repeat the process. I was urinating more often with urgency but just thought that it was probably something that went along with older age.

Then in August 2016 I explained my situation to my internist who was also my gastroenterologist. Bloodwork showed that I was anemic and had an elevated creatinine level. Thankfully, instead of just treating it the doctor said let’s find out why you are anemic. The next day I had an ultrasound. Results were due a day later.

I had been going to this doctor for over 20 years, so we knew each other pretty well. When I got a phone call asking if my husband could join me for my appointment, a red flag went off.

At the appointment, we were told that I had a lemon-sized tumor on my right ureter. From then on, life became a blur. My husband and I hugged and cried. We were in shock knowing we were about to start a new journey.

Life began moving so-very fast.

I was referred to a medical oncologist whom we saw the following Monday. I was given a CA125 test, which was elevated. I was told I had Stage IV ovarian cancer and that it had metastasized to my liver. That is when I understood the meaning of Stage IV cancer. I was given a treatment plan.

My world turned into a part-time medical job and became more of a blur. I had a port implanted, which was a true blessing. I saw a kidney specialist because the tumor had compromised my kidney. I then began weekly treatments for almost a year. That meant five to seven hours almost every Monday at the infusion center. My angels, the nurses, soon became like family.

Between September 2016 and August 2017 (an 11-month period) I had 40 treatments trying four different kinds of chemotherapy. I only missed a week if my bloodcounts were too low for my body to tolerate more chemo. The compassion, kindness, friendship and so much helpful information which came from the nurses helped my husband and me to keep moving forward.

When my Crohn’s had gone into remission and I had finished treatment (13 years earlier), I had started volunteering at the outpatient infusion center located in the Providence Cancer Center. I had “paid it forward” by volunteering but now I was a patient again seeing the same nurses who had treated me for Crohn’s and who had become my friends. But this time my diagnosis was cancer.

During the year of treatment for ovarian cancer, I had to have red blood cell transfusions 13 times, adding another five hours of treatment time in the chair.

Once I had completed approximately 20 chemo treatments, I asked when I would be finished. I guess I had been naïve because I was told that my disease was not curable, repeat, not curable, and I would have to keep continuing treatment as long as my body could tolerate the drugs.

I became depressed. I was giving a prescription for an antidepressant, which helped. But it took me that long to realize the severity of my diagnosis. I ended up in the hospital with a hematoma. And where was my hospital stay? On the cancer floor! It was another realization that I truly had cancer. Soon after, I ended up in the hospital for four days (while on vacation) with neutropenic fever, a result of chemo.

I had lost about 20 to 25 pounds and felt exhausted. In June, my oncologist retired and referred me to a new medical oncologist. By then my neuropathy was getting pretty bad but my CA125 was in the normal range. My new oncologist thought that I should get an opinion from a surgeon and referred me to a gynecological oncologist.

At this point, it had been about a year since diagnosis. Apparently, a surgeon had never been suggested due to the possibility of too much abdominal scar tissue from past surgeries. As it turned out, I had very little scar tissue.

My new gyn onc recommended that I have a robotic hysterectomy and radical tumor reduction surgery. We waited three months for that surgery (until November 2017) to allow time for my body to rest and regain strength.

Since then my life has changed dramatically. The surgery appears to have been successful. I am here today. I will probably have to have treatment again but my body is getting some recovery time. Acupuncture, naturopathic advice, physical therapy, Reiki, Pilates and the power of positive thinking have been alternative healing therapies that have helped me.

This has been quite the journey affecting my family, my friends and especially my caregiver. It was difficult for everyone, but I know we are all stronger and closer from the experience, which provided blessings, too. I no longer feel it to be a death sentence and I try not to let my cancer define me. Life is good and I’m thankful for every day.

I also now know that I had some increased risk factors for ovarian cancer such as not being pregnant and starting early menses. Remember how important the need is for awareness of your own history and the ovarian cancer symptoms.

Editor’s Note: Sandy is a native Portlander, living with her husband and two rescue dogs Gus Gus and Gracie.  She and her husband love kayaking and traveling and have been fortunate to have traveled to six continents, of which Africa was the favorite.   Sandy is an ardent volunteer working stints at the Portland Providence Cancer Center and the Oregon Zoo. Said Sandy, “Volunteering has played a big part in my life.”