Ann Thomas

February 2023

My name is Ann Thomas, and I am a single woman, never having been married. My journey began in 2016 at the age of 56. I’d always been an active person and was working at The Home Depot at the time. I was in the garden department, and I was constantly lifting 60 lb. blocks, 24 lb. bags of soil, etc. I had been having constant low back pain for at least a year, along with intermittent stomach pain. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I just thought I was “getting older.” In addition during this time, I was volunteering in the gift shop at Providence Hospital. One night while working in January of 2016, I had an extremely sharp pain in my side which almost made me fall to my knees. I was so scared that I immediately went to my doctor who sent me to the hospital right away. It turns out my appendix was inflamed, and I was scheduled for surgery – but not until May as they were booked up. I asked to be moved up if there were any cancellations. They called the first week of March and asked if I could come in the next day. I said yes! I had my appendix removed.

The doctor called two days later. I am a very straightforward person and do not like to have things sugarcoated. My doctor knew that and said, “I’m calling to tell you that you have ovarian cancer. I know you wouldn’t want to wait for an appointment.” I have to say at that moment my world went quiet, and all I could think to say was, “Thank you for calling.” I did not ask any questions. I did not cry. I was just shocked. My family did not have a history of cancer, and I didn’t know anyone who had had it. I was referred to a gynecologic oncologist, and then I began researching my diagnosis. I did not tell anyone about my diagnosis until I started chemo because I needed to have answers to their questions. Since I just had surgery, I had to start chemo treatments first. After three treatments and having very little side effects, I went in for debulking surgery. Once that was over, and I sufficiently recovered, I finished the next three chemo treatments. The chemo seemed to be working so I was able to stop and wait for a few months to see how well I responded. During that time, I was paired with a mentor. She is a nurse at OHSU and had been through this. She was great to talk with as she understood it all. One of my take-a -ways from her was a visualization of a pair of scissors inside me cutting up all of the tumors. It helped me feel like there was something I could do. Three months later I had a CT scan which showed the tumors were growing again. Most were in the abdominal mesenteric area with one on the subclavian vein. I went back on a new chemo cocktail for six treatments and then three months off. After the next CT, some tumors had grown and some had shrunk. The next treatment was a PARP inhibitor called Lynparza. It worked for a while, but like the other treatments, not all of the tumors responded. I went back on more chemo treatments, one of those being Gemcitabine.  I had a super bad side effect from this drug; so, I only had one treatment and was taken off it. I then went on Taxol. After two treatments of that and extreme bone pain, I asked to be taken off it so I could go on a summer trip.

During this time, I left The Home Depot as I could not keep up with the job. In 2019, I moved in with my sister and her husband so I could have extra care as I was getting weaker with every chemo treatment. I took a job with David’s Bridal as a stylist which was not so hard on my body. It’s the happiest place I’ve ever worked. Since I was not able to work full time, I was forced to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance, which has been a life saver. I can still work but am not so worried about the bills. This has been a time of great reflection for me on the most important things in life.

My take-a-ways are family and friends. Nurture what you have, stay in touch, and above all, don’t hold grudges. They’re not worth it in the end. Nothing is more important than the present, the here and now. Say yes to every opportunity that you can. It may not be at the top of your bucket list or your most favorite thing to do, but you may also be surprised at how much fun you end up having. Since my diagnosis I’ve been able to travel to Sri Lanka, Hawaii, Victoria, and do lots of summer camping. For me, I don’t know what my time frame is; so, I’m making the most of what I have.

In 2020 my mother passed way. She was 97.  Since she had a stroke in 2018, my father had been taking care of her. During 2020, he underwent bladder cancer treatment, had a kidney removed, and at the end of the year, he contracted Covid along with myself and my sister. He ended up in the hospital and then rehab. He could not come home without care. It was decided that I would move in with him. In January of 2021, I did just that. He turns 96 in March and is still going strong. He is very stubborn and is not going down without a fight. That is the one trait that I inherited from him, and I am so grateful for it. I am and will be a fighter to the end.

It is now the beginning of 2023, and I am once again on Taxol. So far, it’s working but for how long, your guess is as good as mine. The treatments are maintenance, and I will be on them as part of my every day existence until there is a solution, which I pray is soon.

When I was first diagnosed a friend of mine sent me a “Letter to Cancer” (author unknown). I taped it to my bathroom mirror, and I recite it out loud every day as I am a firm believer in affirmations and that the mind is a great healer. There is a line in it which says, “You see cancer, you Do Not own me, I own myself and I will survive.”  I will survive this.