The story update will be up soon, but please take a few minutes and read this.
A/N: Sorry for the wait for this chapter but before I begin to write, I feel like I need to get a few things off my chest. Firstly, the reason for the delay for this chapter is because on 8/5 , My mother in law died. Please read the small story below, I promise you there is a message behind it. I will be posting up the next chapter of Snakes and lions tonight.
In June of this year, My mother in law was experiencing bloating and pressure in her abdomen. None of us felt that it was anything to be alarmed about, but we were wrong. After a visit to the hospital, they discovered the reason for bloating and pressure was because of a massive fluid buildup. We figured she had pulled something or her body was just being weird.
A week later, the fluid had built back up and she was back in the ER. They drained the fluid once again and kept her their until the results of the first fluid came back. Two days later, the results came back and we were all shocked to learn that the reason was cancer, ovarian cancer to be exact.
On July 6th, they started the treatment for this cancer which included surgery and and two weeks later, her first round of chemo.
The chemo wiped her out. She couldn't really walk, talk, or anything for that matter, but we were told some people have that particular response to treatment.
Last Wednesday evening, I got a call from my ex-husband saying that she had stopped breathing but they had brought her back. The plan was to visit her on the 5th, but I felt I needed to get their sooner and went on Thursday instead, and I'm glad I did because she passed away the next day.
Now, the reason I'm telling you this personal stuff is because I feel a responsibility to my readers and their loved ones, and to all women for that matter. Ovarian cancer is called a silent killer for a reason. It doesn't usually present symptoms until stage 3 or stage 4, which most often times is too late.
Our doctors do NOT test for this because it is hard to diagnose. Actually, you might have to beg and demand for a test, but even if you can get them to do this once a year, your chances of catching it in its early stages can very well save your life.
I watched a woman go from being normal with a little bloating, who was working, shopping, and playing with her grandchildren, to being in the hospital on life support and dying 3 months later.
So please, if you take nothing else from this, push your older female loved ones to demand to be checked for this cancer. Be aware of your bodies and do not waste any time if you think something is wrong.
Today, 8/10/11, I buried a woman I cared deeply about, a woman who was too young to be taken, a woman who was a second mother to me. I hope you never have to feel the pain of having someone snatched from your life as quick as she was from mine. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. So yes, I am begging, demand for this test… it could save lives.