Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and Southwest Washington

Susan Gianotti

August 2015

My cancer journey began in September of 2013 when I was diagnosed with Stage III-B mucinous carcinoma ovarian cancer. I was single, without kids, and working full time.

My whole life, I have always been fairly healthy and active: running, hiking and skiing. Cancer was not on my radar.

My symptoms began during the summer of 2013, and included a loss of appetite, feeling bloated, and a pain in my lower back. As many of us do, I googled my symptoms; diagnosed myself with a possible gallbladder issues; and made an appointment with the doctor.

By the time I saw my doctor (who is an OB/GYN), my stomach was extremely bloated and uncomfortable. An ultrasound led to a CT scan that confirmed a mass on my left ovary.

My doctor told me how serious this was and referred me to a couple of gynecologic oncologists. After leaving, I sat in shock in the parking lot of the doctor’s office and reviewed which new doctor I should contact.

I called one, and was in luck: this Gyn Onc had an opening the following morning, which just happened to be September 11th.

Walking into the oncology clinic the first time was very overwhelming. I did not know what to expect. I realized that this was really happening. I met with my new doctor, who examined me, and reviewed my CT scan. He told me I needed surgery immediately. He could do it the following day or I could wait a week, but he said “If you were my daughter I would do it tomorrow.”

Decision made.

It all happened so quickly. There was no time to digest. I was in complete get-this-out-of-me mode. The following day I checked into the hospital for a complete hysterectomy. I spent three days in the hospital, with no complications.

One week later, I went in for my post-surgery check-up and to have my 23 staples removed from my stomach. The pathology report came back – I had Stage III-B mucinous carcinoma.

Six rounds of Carboplatin-Taxol were ordered. The doctor gave me three weeks to rest and gain weight as my weight had dropped to 98 lbs. from a normal 115 lbs. I started chemo in mid-October. It was scheduled for every three weeks.

During my chemotherapy treatments, I worked full time as a nanny for two little boys. I did chemo on Fridays, so by the time Mondays came I was feeling somewhat normal. I never really got sick, but experienced fatigue and extreme bone pain.

By the end of February 2014, I had completed six rounds of chemo. I was told I was N.E.D. (no evidence of disease). Now, I go in every three months for a CA-125 test. So far so good – my last test was at 9.

My support system mainly consisted of my very large family. My five brothers and four sisters surrounded me; I was never alone from the moment I was diagnosed, through my six chemo treatments. They also took care of all the little things in life: picking up prescriptions, handling food prep, doing laundry, and driving me to doctor appointments.

I jokingly referred to my sisters as the “Sister Assault Team.” There is no way I could have made it through this journey without them.

I have met so many incredible women these last two years and have made new friends through our common connection to cancer. I have gotten involved with Survivors Teaching Students® program through the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and SW Washington, and recently completed a workshop for survivors who want to be peer mentors to women who are newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I look forward to volunteering more in the future.

Editor’s Note: Susan enjoys spending time with friends, and her large family. She likes to hike in Forest Park year-round, ski and cook.

In her own words

Nikki Wheeler I had my last scan in January, and it showed no sign of recurrence and no change in the lymph…
Read more »
Manda Buttita I used to express my gratitude that I’d only had cancer once and say I didn’t think I could do…
Read more »
Jennifer Jones What I have learned and love about the OCAOSW support meetings is that every woman afflicted with this illness is…
Read more »
Aileah Carlson Over the course of the week, I became close with women of all ages, some newly diagnosed like myself and…
Read more »
Heather Frazier The fear of a recurrence lives just below the surface while I move forward with my life. I have been…
Read more »
Ruth Anne Weisbard During the 21 years of follow-up, my CA 125 was always about 2. In 2022, it was 10, but the…
Read more »
Camille Oldenburg I would like to focus also on what I learned during the past 2 ½ years. Until my diagnosis at…
Read more »
Anita Krivitzky Fast forward: It was a long recovery, but I am back pet sitting and very busy with volunteering. I see…
Read more »
Vicki Brick-Zupancic Survivors have advised me that the cancer journey is a marathon, not a sprint. I know there will be ups…
Read more »
Missy Fant Listen to your body and advocate for yourselves if your physician isn’t available or listening to you.
Read more »
Jen Shubert Finally, in February, I got a call back. My doctor recommended I go to a gynecologist in Idaho to have…
Read more »
Liliana Saunero-Nava To all the women present- PLEASE listen to your bodies, get yearly exams with a pelvic exam, and NEVER let…
Read more »
Rachel Li When my treatment wrapped up, I began to volunteer with the Ovarian Cancer Alliance’s Survivors Teaching Students to help others…
Read more »
Ann Thomas My take-a-ways are family and friends. Nurture what you have, stay in touch, and above all don’t hold grudges. They’re…
Read more »
Alice McElhaney I had been experiencing a variety of symptoms for several months, but cancer never crossed my mind. Pain here and…
Read more »
Tracy Bain Going through cancer treatment is as much a physical as it is a mental battle. It doesn’t matter what type…
Read more »
Jenna Jenkins My primary care physician insisted I was experiencing indigestion. I could’ve easily left my doctor’s office that day and chalked…
Read more »
Kathleen Fallon I’ve found that keeping cancer at bay has been like having a regular job with irregular hours. I guess it’s…
Read more »
Anonymous But organizations like OCAOSW (Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Oregon and Southwest Washington ) are one of those somewhat ephemeral things that…
Read more »
Samantha Caggiano The best information I was given by my gynecologic oncologist was that ovarian cancer is considered a chronic condition. I…
Read more »
Heather Braaten I felt great when I went in to see my primary care physician a month earlier about some lumps in…
Read more »
Louise Smith I had gained some weight and brushed it off as the stress of it all. Then came the changes to…
Read more »
Marnel Groebner Marnel Groebner’s update to In Her Own Words published April 2016.
Read more »
Sherry Hanson Sherry Hanson May 2009 I underwent abdominal surgery, was diagnosed with stage II C epithelial ovarian cancer, and had a…
Read more »
Anita Krivitzky Anita Krivitzky March 2022 Update to In Her Own Words dated April 2014. Read 2014’s here. I have been very…
Read more »
Carol Brooks Carol Brooks February 2022 Like most of us, the diagnosis of my ovarian cancer was lengthy and difficult, but I…
Read more »
Ashley Hows Ashley Hows January 2022 In September of 2020, at the age of 27, I was diagnosed with Stage 1A ovarian…
Read more »
Dianne Helmer Dianne Helmer December 2021 I am a six year survivor of stage III B ovarian cancer. My cancer is incurable,…
Read more »
Sandi Jossi Sandi Jossi November 2021 Mine is a simple story: While working one day in the summer of 2007 I had…
Read more »
Diane Morris Diane Morris October 2021 On a Saturday evening I felt a pain in my left side while I was taking…
Read more »
Kristen Lunden Kristen Lunden September 2021 In April 2018 I started experiencing abdominal discomfort and other symptoms which gradually affected my job…
Read more »
Lindsey Spencer, Honolulu Lindsey Spencer, Honolulu August 2021 In May 2014, at the age of 28, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. At…
Read more »
Mary Evans, retired hospice R.N. Mary Evans, retired hospice R.N. July 2021 My ovarian cancer journey has been a long one, nor is it over…
Read more »
Sally Guyer Sally Guyer June 2021 I never know where to start when telling my cancer story, which is indicative of the…
Read more »
The Dianes The Dianes May 2021 Diane Elizondo and Diane O’Connor met in 2002 in Vancouver, WA after they had both been…
Read more »
Beth Kupper-Herr Beth Kupper-Herr April 2021 Aloha from Hawaii! I might be the luckiest ovarian cancer survivor you’ll ever hear about. In…
Read more »
Mary Pegg Mary Pegg March 2021 So, my Ovarian Cancer journey, or I should say trip thru h— and back, began in…
Read more »
Susan Gottbreht Susan Gottbreht February 2021 My name is Susan Gottbreht but I go by Sue. My husband took an early retirement…
Read more »
Camille Williams, Honolulu Camille Williams, Honolulu January 2021 It was like any other Tuesday for 16 year old me — After my last…
Read more »
Vicki Grandy, Portland Vicki Grandy, Portland December 2020 “That is really serious, isn’t it?” The news of my Ovarian Cancer diagnosis frequently brings…
Read more »
Melanie Chu, Portland Melanie Chu, Portland November 2020 Hindsight! I had the classic symptoms of ovarian cancer but was ignorant of the cancer.…
Read more »
Wendy Clifton Wendy Clifton October 2020 In 2015 I was living in a small town in Northern California. The town, Ukiah, was…
Read more »
Amy Kay Lindh Amy Kay Lindh September 2020 At 48 years old I had my yearly pap smear physical and was told all…
Read more »
Antra Boyd Antra Boyd August 2020 It was September of 2018 while I was on my computer, working on behalf of a…
Read more »
Helaine Gross Helaine Gross July 2020 I live in Portland and am now two years post treatment. I feel good with no…
Read more »
Noel Rademacher Noel Rademacher May 2020 In 2012 my fairytale was taking place. I was 36, engaged to a wonderful man, and…
Read more »
Paula McNeill Paula McNeill April 2020 It was Labor Day Weekend, 2002, and I was spending it with family, off the grid,…
Read more »
Terrilyn Chun Terrilyn Chun March 2020 My cancer journey began in July 2017. For several months I had been experiencing symptoms which…
Read more »
Carol Hoefer Carol Hoefer February 2020 When I was diagnosed with DCIS breast cancer in 2001, I considered my options for treatment…
Read more »
Jan Chapman Jan Chapman January 2020 Surprises can be very nice. When the surprise is medical, however – you think that you…
Read more »
Leona Sandau Leona Sandau December 2019 It all began on Christmas eve 2002… After a few years of constant pain in my…
Read more »
Margaret Rice Margaret Rice November 2019 My name is Margaret Rice, and I live in Grants Pass, Oregon. It was a normal…
Read more »
Paulette Page Paulette Page October 2019 Late January 2010 at age 64, while sharing with my spouse (Rod), daughter, son and partners…
Read more »
Kim Rhodes Kim Rhodes August 2019 Hello, my name is Kim Rhodes, and this is my story. Background first: I am not…
Read more »
Anne Fischer Anne Fischer July 2019 In April of 2010 I was diagnosed with a granulosa cell tumor, which is a slow-growing…
Read more »
Kay McGuire Kay McGuire June 2019 This is my favorite photo of my granddaughter and me. We were at the “Bring your…
Read more »
Becky Haas Becky Haas May 2019 Like many who have written this column before me, I noticed discomfort in my lower abdomen,…
Read more »
Rowena Musser Rowena Musser April 2019 I was working 10-12 hour days in a fairly demanding job and was tired all of…
Read more »
Tonya Sarver Tonya Sarver March 2019 My story begins in the fall of 2017. It was an exhausting and stressful time for…
Read more »
Linda Lynch Linda Lynch February 2019 I remember not feeling well around our anniversary September 20, 1998. We lived in Thousand Oaks,…
Read more »
Alex Mendolsohn Alex Mendolsohn January 2019 I had just turned 61 and had returned from a trip to southeast Asia when I…
Read more »
Joan Meyerhoff Joan Meyerhoff December 2018 My first grandchild, Rosland, was born on October 3rd. Early each morning in the first week…
Read more »
Penny Hummel Penny Hummel November 2018 A year after I joined the ovarian cancer survivor club, I sometimes still blink in disbelief…
Read more »
Sandy Moreno Sandy Moreno October 2018 As I was thinking about telling “My Story” what came to my mind first were the…
Read more »
Barb Swanson Sanders Barb Swanson Sanders August 2018 I have been an educator for 47 years, including a kindergarten teacher, an elementary school…
Read more »
Larissa Ienna Larissa Ienna July 2018 “You can’t control how you go.” This is what I’ve been told by countless people since…
Read more »
Cheryl Terrusa Cheryl Terrusa June 2018 Cheryl Terrusa In Her Own Words June 2018 I’ve never felt I was lucky. My grandparents…
Read more »
Sandy Ragsdale Sandy Ragsdale May 2018 I am a survivor of ovarian cancer. I am also a survivor of Crohn’s disease, having…
Read more »
Sayla Hachey Sayla Hachey April 2018 Ovarian cancer has taken a lot from me. Most painfully at this point is that it…
Read more »
Merry Vediner Merry Vediner March 2018 My story began in early summer of 2014. I was visiting with a friend who had…
Read more »
Teri Giangreco Teri Giangreco February 2018 For the first ten months of 2016 I was the healthiest I had ever been. I…
Read more »
Carrie Gordon Carrie Gordon January 2018 In 2006, I hadn’t felt well and knew I had a colonoscopy coming up. Then, during…
Read more »
Diane Sarver Diane Sarver December 2017 My name is Diane Sarver and I am 67 years old. I am a mom, a…
Read more »
Kelly Shafer Kelly Shafer November 2017 It was April 2016. I was 56 and life was good. My husband of 18 years…
Read more »
Virginia Geter Virginia Geter October 2017 Homeless by accident I was moving out of my apartment because I wanted to relocate somewhere…
Read more »
Poupak Sebti Poupak Sebti August 2017 Good friends have said, “But you must have seen it coming.”1 The truth is that I saw…
Read more »
Amanda M. Por Amanda M. Por July 2017 I was 25. I had just moved to a new city, started a new job,…
Read more »
Jana Freiberger Jana Freiberger June 2017 I am 59 years old and live in Longview, WA with my husband of 33 years,…
Read more »
Barbara Keepes Barbara Keepes April 2017 On Memorial Day weekend of 2011, I brought home a new miniature schnauzer puppy, Sherman. For…
Read more »
Kay Dee Cole Kay Dee Cole March 2017 My cancer journey started like so many others. It was a complete surprise. My life…
Read more »
Donna Gilmont Donna Gilmont February 2017 For close to 35 years, (from 1977-2011), my husband and I lived in three Third World…
Read more »
Cindy Plummer Cindy Plummer January 2017 In the summer of 2015, at the age of 58, I made a doctor’s appointment to…
Read more »
Anna DeMers Anna DeMers November 2016 I am a Type A personality. I have a lot of energy and will power through…
Read more »
Jane Ridley Jane Ridley October 2016 It was an unusually warm and sunny day in May of 2013, I was driving –…
Read more »
Julie Lund Julie Lund August 2016 On August 2, 1989, my life changed when my doctor stood by my hospital bed and…
Read more »
Laurel Pollock Laurel Pollock July 2016 When I first noticed a problem, it was around Christmas of 2013. I had a stomachache…
Read more »
Jasmin Kim Jasmin Kim June 2016 Last Spring (2015), just a couple weeks after my twenty-fourth birthday, I started experiencing abdominal discomfort…
Read more »
Jana Freiberger Jana Freiberger May 2016 In May of 2015 I noticed a recurrent feeling of unease in my lower abdomen. I…
Read more »
Marnel Groebner Marnel Groebner April 2016 In 2010, at the age of 50, I retired. I was active, ate healthy and was…
Read more »
Kathleen Fallon Kathleen Fallon March 2016 This is a story that has no ending. It is a story that has evolved over…
Read more »
Melissa Hopkins Melissa Hopkins February 2016 For a period of three years from 2008 to 2011, I experienced a whole year without…
Read more »
Mary B. Mary B. January 2016 I had some big decisions to make in July 2014. Like many who have been diagnosed…
Read more »
Nancy Ferrell Nancy Ferrell December 2015 I was originally diagnosed with ovarian cancer on February 27th of 1995. I was 49 years…
Read more »
Tami Ward Tami Ward November 2015 My cancer journey began in January 2013 when I was awakened in the middle of the…
Read more »
Roselle Soriano Roselle Soriano October 2015 As I recently held our one and a half year old granddaughter, I was reminded that…
Read more »
Susan Gianotti Susan Gianotti August 2015 My cancer journey began in September of 2013 when I was diagnosed with Stage III-B mucinous…
Read more »
Becki McCall Becki McCall July 2015 A year and a half ago was an exciting time for me because I was going…
Read more »
Monica Marvin Monica Marvin June 2015 In March 2013, I was living an ideal life. At age 66, I had a rewarding…
Read more »
Natalie Leithem Natalie Leithem May 2015 I am 53 and have been married to my high school sweetheart for almost 30 years.…
Read more »
Sandra Morgen Sandra Morgen April 2015 NOTE: this month’s feature focuses on a survivor’s recent experience as an ovarian cancer advocate in…
Read more »
Judy Teufel Judy Teufel March 2015 I have just celebrated 17 years since my diagnosis of stage III-3 ovarian cancer and surgery…
Read more »
Sherry Hanson Sherry Hanson February 2015 In May 2009, while visiting family in Portland, Oregon, I underwent abdominal surgery, was diagnosed with…
Read more »
Mary Evans Mary Evans January 2015 My journey began in November 2002 with four words, “You have ovarian cancer.” My life was…
Read more »
Peg Gauthier Peg Gauthier December 2014 I’ve been a runner for over 40 years. I started participating in marathons in 1983 and…
Read more »
Katherine Schneider Katherine Schneider November 2014 Despite being a nurse in great health, and current with my medical physical exams, on April…
Read more »
Elaine Dickson, with Daughter Laura Bernards Elaine Dickson, with Daughter Laura Bernards October 2014 Readers of “In Her Own Words” understand that every woman’s experience with…
Read more »
Teena Jones Teena Jones August 2014 I am a four-time survivor of ovarian cancer over the course of the last eight years.…
Read more »
Nicole Miller Nicole Miller July 2014 In 2010, I was a 17 year old senior in high school – and my focus…
Read more »
Judy Fornia Judy Fornia June 2014 I am a retired RN with more than 25 years experience in health care management and…
Read more »
Phyllis Lang Phyllis Lang May 2014 I am 62 years old and married with two daughters (one who is 39 and one…
Read more »
Anita Krivitzky Anita Krivitzky April 2014 In the spring of 2010, as I was turning 60, I was working full time in…
Read more »
Martha Richards Martha Richards March 2014 I was diagnosed on St. Patrick’s Day of 2006. In those days I was always rushing…
Read more »
Angel Gnau Angel Gnau February 2014 I am a four-time ovarian cancer survivor. My journey with ovarian cancer began in March of…
Read more »
Diane R. O’Connor Diane R. O’Connor January 2014 September 11, 2001 dawned while we were in the Strawberry Wilderness in Eastern Oregon. Of…
Read more »
Becky Coulson Becky Coulson December 2013 In May 2007, at age 63, I saw my doctor for a routine physical (including a…
Read more »
Miriam Hoelter Miriam Hoelter November 2013 I was 54 and my life was going along smoothly – busy as a school counselor,…
Read more »
Joanne Seeger Joanne Seeger October 2013 I was 58 years old in 1999 when I was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer. My…
Read more »
Marcy Westerling Marcy Westerling September 2013 At age 50, I was having a wonderful time and experiencing exciting work as a community…
Read more »
Elaine Carter Elaine Carter August 2013 My ovarian cancer story started in 2004, when my longtime partner, Sara, was diagnosed with advanced…
Read more »
Angela Bonnington Angela Bonnington July 2013 I was 31 years old when I was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer in November…
Read more »
Karla Theer Karla Theer June 2013 My mom was only 22 when her own mom died; at the time, I was an…
Read more »
Bonnie Stockman Bonnie Stockman May 2013 I have had a passion for oriental carpets and textiles for most of my adult life.…
Read more »
Michelle Kendrick Michelle Kendrick April 2013 Editor’s note: this is a departure from our normal featured story in that it is told…
Read more »
Bev Lipsitz Bev Lipsitz March 2013 This story starts in 1986. I was thirty-five years old. I had started having painful bowel…
Read more »
Marilyn Goodman Marilyn Goodman February 2013 From the time I could remember, I wanted nothing more in the world than to be…
Read more »
Carol Riley Carol Riley January 2013 In the late spring of 2003, I started having what felt like menstrual cramps, but at…
Read more »
Marilyn Guldan Marilyn Guldan December 2012 In December of 2010, while on sabbatical from my job at Intel, I was watching Dr.…
Read more »
Diane Elizondo Diane Elizondo November 2012 Before I was diagnosed myself, I had some knowledge of ovarian cancer, unlike many women. Two…
Read more »