New Cancer Link

As many of you who have read my cancer journey have read, I did not have a family history of ovarian or breast cancer. I also did not have a history of any related cancers such as colon cancer. Part of things fell into place when my mom found an old wallet card of my maternal grandfather’s stating he had colon cancer, and not intestinal cancer as we originally thought.

I also had suspicions about my paternal grandmother. She had a hysterectomy for what she said were ovarian cysts. It really never made sense before. Why did they not just remove the cysts, or the ovaries? Why a complete hysterectomy? When I got diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she was already gone, so I could never ask her my questions. My aunt and my dad kept insisting it was only a cyst. But, my grandmother was also in denial about her lung cancer, which took her life. While my mom was sorting through some stuff last night, she found a curious piece of paper my grandmother was recording hospital bills on. My mom asked me what a “omentecomy” was. I know through my own journey that the omentum is removed through the cancer staging surgery. That, combined with the rest of her list, confirmed my suspicions were true: my grandmother truly DID have ovarian cancer. And that explains mine at such a young age.

It kinda frustrates me, because I wish I had this crucial information when I went through genetic testing for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. At least I know now, though, and it gives me a piece of mind. For any of my teal sisters, or any others going through a cancer diagnosis, be warned that sometimes you have to dig for a family history!