My mother went in for her annual visit with her OB/GYN in late 2006. After reviewing the test results, her doctor called and told her that the Pap smear came back showing abnormal cells and that my mother would need to come in and have a biopsy. It was a very scary evening as I listened to my mom on the phone. I'll never forget that evening, it was so hard to believe and shocking. My mother had never been sick nor showed any signs of a condition. She had never been sick in her life. Once the biopsy results were back, they decided to have her undergo a total hysterectomy thinking it may be ovarian cancer.
After literally having every possible organ removed that wasn't necessary, my mother was released from the hospital sometime later. It took about two months for her to fully recover. They started her on a treatment plan and she began receiving chemotherapy. After a few months of chemo, there were no signs of any disease. Unfortunately, not too long after completion of chemo the disease returned.
Things seemed to be going somewhat well for the next few months, and it helped having my wedding to plan and keep her mind active. In the fall of 2009, the day of my wedding she started getting terrible bloating and back pain. The next day she was admitted to the hospital and no one had any idea she was suffering, as she did not ever once complain. I could not believe she was going through that and never said anything. But she said she didn't want to ruin my day.
In January she was diagnosed with having a blood clot in her lungs and was once again admitted to the hospital. By the end of April 2010 things started to make a turn for the worse. They had decided to release some of the pressure and bile so they placed a release valve/tube in her stomach to make it better for her. This did not seem to help like we had all hoped for. From April or May to July she was pretty much stationary and did not leave the house. They placed her on a feeding tube at home. In late June her at home Hospice nurse discovered the feeding tube was actually feeding the cancer more than it was helping her. So both my mom and dad decided to take her off of it. She lived for the next few weeks and then passed.
If there is anything you take away from my mom’s story besides sadness, that would be to always go in for your annual checks, get tested for the cancer marker that may run in your family. I want everyone to know that my mom never let cancer stand in her way. She continued to mow the yard, clean, go out and enjoy life. I had so much admiration for her being able to stay strong and fight it, but at the same time I felt completely helpless and most of the time in denial. It is not an easy road, but with support and a will to live it can be easier dealt with and hopefully overcome. Faith, strength and determination are necessary to overcome the fight.
-Submitted by Sue's daughter, Ellie Preister Kelehan.