Preface

It was the summer of 2005, when I first felt a hard spot bulging from the left side of lower abdomen, I was really shocked.  I had no idea when and how it grew so big (it was like a 3 month pregnancy, but only on the left side).  Even when I scrubbed my body with a sponge when I took a shower before, I’d never noticed that “hill”.

My family doctor had me take a CT Scan (Computed Tomography Scan), and referred me to a gynecologic oncology specialist for further examination; then I was told that my left ovary had a big cyst, approximately 15cm, which fully wrapped around my left ovary.  Since the cyst size was huge, surgery was the only solution.

As a person that seldom stepped into hospitals, you can probably imagine how scared and stunned I was when I heard that an operation was the unavoidable reality; however, all I could do was trying to relax, take a deep breath, and tell myself that there is no way to escape—just accept and face it.

I thought that everything would be over as soon as the surgery was completed, but the analysis of the cyst from my stomach was negative, with poorly differentiated clear cell carcinoma; even the biopsy from peritoneum and lymph notes showed no malignancy, my doctor strongly recommend chemotherapy.

During the following 3~4 months, I visited the chemo center often.  There were six treatment cycles, one every three weeks.  I needed a blood test every 1~2 weeks, or took shots for Erythrocyte (red blood cell) / Leucocyte (white blood cell) to grow.  Due to drowsiness, nausea, bodyache and other uncomfortable side effects from the chemotherapy, I quit my job.  With the full support of my husband, I was able to stay at home to fight cancer.

In the period of treatments, I recorded my mood, the ways to relieve side effects, and some murmurs in details, and posted them to my Chinese Blog as a diary.  Thanks to the strong comfort and encouragement from thousands of net buddies that I have never met in person, my depression and worry were dissolved and disappeared; the little achievement after each treatment then expanded into bravery with their warm applause.

A few months after the treatments were successful completed, my chemo diary was published as a physical book by a Taiwanese publisher.  Three years after the book has been released to Chinese market, I decided to share my chemo diary with more people in English.  I sincerely hope that my experience is going to bring you certain enlightenment and move.  I hope everyone can face challenges in a positive and optimistic way.

Oh, I have not introduced myself…  My name is Jessica, in the beginning of mid-age, a Taiwanese woman who is married with one daughter.  I came to the U.S. in 1991 as a graduate school student in New York, and I am now working for a food company, and living in Georgia with my family.

As English is my second language (besides, like most people in the world, I am not a pro in medical issues and terminology), my English writing may not satisfy every visitor to this blog; however, I will do my best to have the articles written as smoothly as the way I did in Chinese.  Hope you all will enjoy my upcoming posts, and take care.