Tribute to Brenda

When we hear the word courage we automatically think of a soldier. However courage is what Brenda had, more courage than I could ever hope to have. For three and a half years she fought her battle with ovarian cancer. For a brief time she actually went into remission, and we her family, thought she had beat the odds. Unfortunately the joy was soon followed by disappointment as the cancer numbers went up and came back with a vengeance; with in a year it had attacked her bowls and her liver. Finally after excruciating suffering, she passed away on November 29, 2009.

Brenda Like most ovarian cancer patients was diagnosed at level 4. (Level 5 is immanent death). That is why ovarian cancer is a silent killer. Pap test cannot locate this killer. The following was taken off the Mayo Clinic web site and gives the symptoms of the horrid disease. EVERY woman should read this and keep the symptom guidelines in a place where you can periodically look at them. Time is an element that is crucial to this disease.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer are nonspecific and mimic those of many other more common conditions, including digestive and bladder disorders. A woman with ovarian cancer may be diagnosed with another condition before finally learning she has cancer. Common misdiagnoses include irritable bowel syndrome, stress and depression.
The key seems to be persistent or worsening signs and symptoms. With most digestive disorders, symptoms tend to come and go, or they occur in certain situations or after eating certain foods. With ovarian cancer, there's typically little fluctuation — symptoms are constant and gradually worsen.
Recent studies have shown that women with ovarian cancer are more likely than are other women to consistently experience the following symptoms:
Abdominal pressure, fullness, swelling or bloating
Urinary urgency
Pelvic discomfort or pain
Additional signs and symptoms that women with ovarian cancer may experience include:
Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea
Unexplained changes in bowel habits, such as constipation
Changes in bladder habits, including a frequent need to urinate
Loss of appetite or quickly feeling full
Increased abdominal girth or clothes fitting tighter around your waist
Pain during intercourse (dyspareunia)
A persistent lack of energy
Low back pain
Changes in menstruation

I hope that you will save the above guidelines. I dedicate this Blog to Brenda and I promise to spread the word so that this killer can be silenced. Brenda, know that we love you and always will.