Interview 42- Ovarian cancer

Age at interview: 57

Age at diagnosis: 56

Brief Outline:

Ovarian cancer diagnosed in 2003 following abdominal pain (diagnosed as gall stones) and bloating. Treated by surgical removal of ovaries and womb followed by chemotherapy.

Background:

Social services care manager, divorced, three adult children.

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Her oncologist persuaded her that she should have chemotherapy, even though this was not what she initially wanted.

 She [the oncologist] told me that it would be only a few months if I didn't have any chemotherapy, I would only have a few months and, that the chemotherapy that she was offering was a gold, what she said, her words were “Gold star treatment” and that it was very well worth having. Because I'd explained to others I didn't want to have, just have chemotherapy and not have any quality of life, having just watched my friend die of cancer, so, you know, I was very, that had only happened 6 weeks ago, so 6 weeks before I'd seen the gy, I'd seen the oncologist. 

 

So I did explain that to her but she said it was, you know, I would only have months if I didn't have it and it was a very very good treatment and it, and there was even at my stage, stage 3, there was a very good chance that it would, you know, it could get rid of the cancer altogether and, you know, there's, there's a very good, you know, there's a very good chance still. She had, she said she had actually discharged people that at my stage but she said everybody is different and, you know, but it is well worth having, having the chemo. It's also a very kind chemo, the chemo, the carboplatin she said was very kind, you don't lose your hair with it and, it's, you know, it's not one of those that makes you feel dreadfully ill, although it's not pleasant”. So I said, well I'd go away and think about it, and I went away and thought about it for a few days and then I went, I phoned up and said, “I'll have it”, and I started virtually the next Monday.