September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

I was wondering what I could do on my blog to observe this (besides shouting,

"HEY! I HAVE OVARIAN CANCER!!!"

in really large, bold, teal italics, of course). I hope that this blog is doing something to increase awareness, but I realize that I haven't provided a whole lot of general information about ovarian cancer in these tomes. It's a little bit complicated by the fact "my" type of ovarian cancer (malignant endodermal sinus tumor, which is a kind of germ cell tumor) is not very common amongst ovarian cancers, so the information I have given has been somewhat Grazelda-Specific.

Ultimately, this is what I would like every woman to know:
The 4 Primary Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer:

• Bloating (gaining girth without gaining weight elsewhere)
  
• Pelvic or Abdominal pain
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Urinary urgency or frequency

I had all of the above (plus fever, cough, diarrhea. Yeah, it was miserable). If you have any of these for more than 2 weeks, don't freak out - it could be something else - but do talk to your doctor. Ovarian cancer is typically hard to diagnose because the symptoms are often so subtle and can also be indicative of other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (and pregnancy - you have no idea how many doctors thought I was pregnant!!), so knowing the symptoms and seeking help immediately is that much more important.

The Other Thing I Have To Say, Which Also Applies To Men
(not that the men should ignore the previous, since each of you cares for many women)
Two months ago to the day (unless you're on the west coast and so totally addicted to my blog that you're reading this mere minutes after I post, bless you) I woke up with severe abdominal pain. Before that, not only did I feel amazingly healthy, I was leading an unquestionably healthy lifestyle: I ate the right stuff, I got my exercise, I've never smoked, I drink alcohol in moderation, I even gave up coffee after one bad caffeine trip last year. There is not a lot of cancer in my family. I was 24 years old. And then, bam, I got cancer. That is to say, you could get cancer. Just for a minute, let go of the list of lifestyle choices you've been making to minimize your risk factors (because I did all that and more), and let that thought sink in. There's your existential pondering for the day.

Now, make sure you have health insurance, and keep doing what you can to prevent it!

If you want more information, www.ovariancancerawareness.org is very accessible and well-organized, while www.ovarian.org goes a little more in depth.

P.S. Said simply, I feel great today.