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Ovarian Cancer

People's stories

5-6 years since diagnosis

Interview OV29

Interview OV29

Age at Interview: 65
Sex: Female
Age at Diagnosis: 59
Background: Book keeper, married, two adult children.

Brief outline:Ovarian cancer diagnosed in 1998 following a vaginal discharge and bleeding. Treated by surgical removal of ovaries (previously hysterectomised) followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

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Was offered the choice of radiotherapy after her chemotherapy.
Print Well, for the chemo I was told that I should have the chemo because it would help the situation and they were going to book me in for it, but for the radiotherapy I had a choice of having it or not having it. But the way the doctor spoke was it wouldn't do any harm just to finish the treatment off with radiotherapy. Sort of reassurance that the, you know, the cancer had been eradicated. So you took their advice and you agreed to it? Yes, I did say to him 'do I really need it?' He says “well it wouldn't do any harm and we think maybe it would be helpful to finish the treatment off”, so I had it.

Was calm at the time of diagnosis but reacted emotionally later.
Print Well, the consultant showed me the scan of this little cauliflower thing and he told me what it was and I felt quite calm, actually. Just sat there, I suppose because it really didn't sink in and he told me what would happen with me; I'd go in, have the operation, have both ovaries out and some lymph glands. And I drove home quite calm and it wasn't until I came in the street door that it suddenly hit me, and I just burst into tears. And I didn't ring my husband, I rang my sister because we're very, very close. And I told her and I felt that as soon as I'd told her, I felt sort of relief.

Had no sex since her illness due to a total loss of interest in it, and her husband was supportive.
Print Given that you'd already had a hysterectomy years before you had your ovaries out, it probably didn't, the extra surgery probably didn't have an effect on your sex life or anything? No it didn't, but I did find that after the chemo, even now, my body's just gone dead. And they did say that does happen sometimes. But my husband is very good, very patient and I find it even now sort of there's just nothing there. So we're just sort of very, very, very good friends now. I did mention it to the doctor and he says it does happen sometimes to people or you can get therapy treatment and he said 'do you want it or are you quite happy as things are?' So I said 'well, I'm quite happy as things are but I don't know about my husband'. And I spoke to him about it and he said 'well, I've got you, that's all that counts.' So we just plod on.

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