Susan Gottbreht

February 2021

My name is Susan Gottbreht but I go by Sue.

My husband took an early retirement in 2008, and we moved from the Seattle area to Nine Mile Falls NW of Spokane. I did not retire and remained working for my employer in Seattle by going there for 10 to 14 days at the first of the month and telecommuting the rest of the time. Luckily my daughter lived in Seattle, so I stayed with her and her family when I worked in the office. At that time my grandsons were 3 and 4, and we got to know each other better, I think, then if I were still living in Seattle. In 2010/2011, when I was 62, I felt really healthy but noticed a pain in my pelvic area which I thought was just a pulled muscle because it didn’t hurt all the time. Also I was starting to have some hip issues. In Oct 2012, I went to the clinic near where I lived and saw the PA who was my regular caregiver. She ordered me to have a transvaginal ultrasound. The results showed my uterus lining was thick and that I had a cyst on my right ovary. She informed me that it could be cancer and sent me to an OBGYN for a cervical biopsy. The doctor thought since I wasn’t bleeding that it wasn’t cancer. The results of that biopsy showed no signs of cancer, but he wanted me to have another transvaginal ultrasound in three months.

Jan 22, 2013 – I noticed some vaginal bleeding which was verified by my PA who sent me back to the OBGYN. He tried to do another cervical biopsy, but this time he could not get the needle through the cervix. Another transvaginal ultrasound was ordered, and I was told that depending on the results, I would probably need a D&C or a hysterectomy. The results of this ultrasound showed that the cyst on the right side had gotten larger, and I also had a cyst on the left side.

Feb 4-11th, 2013 – The other test that I had done was a blood test known as a CA 125 to check that antigen in the blood. Normal is 0-37, mine was 250. A CT scan was ordered to check my lymph nodes. The results of the scan showed a swollen lymph node in the pelvic area and something that had spread to the stomach lining which would be identified with the surgery. He diagnosed it as cancer and referred me to a Gynecologic Oncologist. All of this was told to me over the phone. He also told me that this wasn’t terrible news. NOT TERRIBLE NEWS – well it certainly was to me. I did not know anyone who had ovarian cancer. My older sister had endometrial cancer in 2005 which was caught early. Eight years later I didn’t remember what her symptoms were except that she had warned me to get checked if I ever had vaginal bleeding after menopause. I had always had regular PAP smears; so how all of a sudden can I have ovarian cancer??? Of course a PAP smear does not detect ovarian cancer. I didn’t even know what the symptoms were for ovarian cancer. All these years of going to a GYN and I never once saw a pamphlet on ovarian cancer.

An appointment was scheduled with a Gynecologic Oncologist for Feb 20 th . Due to other health issues in the family she was able to schedule me for surgery the NEXT DAY! I had a complete hysterectomy. My left and right fallopian tubes and ovaries both had tumors, and one lymph node in my left ovary showed positive for metastatic carcinoma. My uterus and cervix also showed metastatic carcinoma.

I had a port placed in my chest for chemo. I have always been a “bad stick” for blood tests; so I knew that I wouldn’t tolerate an IV every time I needed chemo.

March 21, 2013 was the first chemo treatment. Chemo has worked for me but only temporarily. I will be on a certain kind, my markers will go down to normal, then they go back up, and I am on a different type of chemo. I have been a survivor for 8 years but have never been off chemo for more than a year. The year I was off chemo was my choice not to take the drug. Even though my markers were not normal, I did not have any other bodily issues. Plus my doctors have been tracking me with PET, MRI and CT scans.

In 2020 I was having a lot of dizziness. My doctor ordered me to have a MRI on my brain which showed cancer in three spots. In Dec of 2020 I had GAMMA Knife surgery. The GAMMA Knife surgery was a success as it shrunk the cancer on my brain. I will need an MRI every two months for a while. ( Note: Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a form of radiation. It does not involve a surgical incision into the brain. The blades of the Gamma Knife are actually beams of highly focused gamma ray radiation.)

Currently my markers are down. I still do not have any other bodily issues, and luckily the active cancer is not in my organs. Mentally I have stayed positive, but the “on again off again” of a chronic disease wears on anyone. When I feel good, I do what ever I have the energy for. I rely on my faith mostly and hope that I will continue to be a survivor.

I truly hope that more information will be given to people about the symptoms so that ovarian cancer can be detected and treated right away. I also hope that the medical research will be funded and increased to treat the disease.

Because of the experience my gynecologic oncologist has with this type of cancer, I asked her what she would advise new doctors and patients. She said, “Be persistent with being checked and having treatment.”