Drina - Goal- Get life off hold

Background:

On July 26, 2009 I found out that I have stage 2 to 3 uterine cancer. John and I had moved to the Las Vegas area in March, 2008 to expand my art career ( http://www.artbydrina.com www.mypublisher.com [ Go to MyBookshelf and put in ID drinafried; password auto96265]). My husband also thought the air would be better than in Bakersfield, California.

I told friends about "my bad news". I plan to post daily unless or until I can't, or until I am found to be completely better.

• Two asked if there were any symptoms. Below was my response, even though I suspected it might be more info than they wished. Cynthia H. e-mailed me back, Are you kidding? Not at all "too much information". I hung on every word. It is important to know. Thank you for sharing that with me.

Beginning in early March, 2009 I started to get a vaginal discharge, kind of golden- sometimes golden pink colored. Now, know that for 16 years I've been menopausal, so the discharge was immediately noticed to be a problem by me. But I didn't think cancer....then. I had had dental work followed by an antibiotic, so I wondered, but hoped that self treatment with monostat would take care of it, though it wasn't "cheesy". Monostat didn't touch it. My dentist suggested "alternative treatment" so I went online, bought, and downloaded 3 Days to Permanent Vaginosis Relief. After reading about vaginitis, I tried douching twice a day- first a bottle of tea tree oil (nope); then a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, which also didn't work. I sitz bathed in vinegar, changed my diet to be less acidic, and inserted Vaginal Acidophilus. (So don't waste too much time in self treament if it doesn't work RIGHT AWAY). It was then early June, and I started thinking I gotta rule out cancer. I made an appointment in Bakersfield with GYN Todd Andrews, who couldn't see me for 3 weeks. I asked if they would do a lab test in the meantime, if I would provide a sample of the discharge. But no, "Just keep your appointment", they said. THEN 2 days before the appointment THEY cancelled saying the doctor was going out of town. I WAS furious. When he would be back I had to be heading back to Henderson. Back in Henderson I finally tried to find an internist physician. Getting an appointment took another few weeks. By then there was unmistakable though erratic bleeding mixed in with the golden discharge. By then I had gone through 4.5 months of wearing pads and I was thinking I should buy Kotex stock. Then my internist referred me to an OBGYN clinic, and the physician's assistant they had me see decided my problem might be needing premarin cream vaginally put 2-3 times weekly. The premarin cream resulted in heavier bleeding still. I was (finally) allowed to have an ultrasound and a biopsy. She said the results would come in a week or 10 days. Two days later I got a call saying stage 2-3 uterine cancer. Since I was leaving for Buffalo, I mentioned this to an old friend there. She suggested I go to Roswell Park Cancer Institute. I was given a Dr. Lele who is quite reknown in the east, and after much arranging and pre-op testing, on Aug. 12, 2009 he will perform a hysterectomy with uterine, overies, and fallopian tube removal, and examination of the lymph tissue. He said he was so busy that if I didn't take that date, the next date would be on August 29th. I hope he will not be canceling.

Most friends and family thus far have told me that I will be okay.

On August 11th I do the bowel prep, (so if there is any problem when the uterus is removed and the colon is affected, fecal material will not be present to infect the area.) Oh, I wish they could do a colonoscopy that day while I'm under (I'm told I need one) as I will have done the darn day of prep and evacuation.....

I have so much more art I want to do, and in November my only child and daughter (-in-law) will be having a second grand(daughter)child to meet. So God willing maybe someday I'll be one of those very happy cancer survivors, and all my lovely prognosticating family and friends will be correct.