[Fwd: Fw: An Important Message]
From: Clifford J. Goodman, Jr., M.D. (momdoc@home.com)
Fri Dec 4 03:41:10 1998
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Listers - sorry about the first try.
>Subject: An important message--
>>>
>>> This was forwarded to me by a friend. I realize it's rather long, but
for
>>> the sake of your own health and that of the women you know and care
>about,
>>> please take a few moments to read this message. Then take it with you to
>>> your next doctor's appointment. It could save your life--or the life of
>>> someone you love.
>>>
>>> --Marlene
>>>
>>> *******
>>> Michelene (a friend of Meg Stimson, who used to be one of our insurance
>>> agents) writes:
>>>
>>> I have Primary Peritoneal Cancer. This cancer has only recently been
>>> identified as its OWN type of cancer; but it is, essentially, Ovarian
>>> Cancer. Both types of cancer are diagnosed in the same way (with the
>>> "tumor marker" CA-125 blood test), and they are treated in the same way
>>> (surgery to remove the primary tumor and then chemotherapy with Taxol
and
>>> Carboplatin).
>>>
>>> Having gone through this ordeal, I want to save others from the same
>fate.
>>> That is why I am sending this message to you and hope you will print it
>>> and give it or send it via e-mail to everybody you know.
>>>
>>> One thing I have learned is that each of us must take TOTAL
>responsibility
>>> for our own health care. I thought I had done that because I always had
>>> an annual physical; had my annual mammogram and PAP smear; did monthly
>>> Self Breast Exam; went to the dentist at least twice/year, etc. I even
>>> insisted on a sigmoidoscopy and a bone density test last year. When I
>had
>>> a total hysterectomy in 1993, I thought that I did not have to worry
>about
>>> getting any of the female reproductive organ cancers. LITTLE DID I KNOW!
>>>
>>> I don't have ovaries (and they were HEALTHY when they were removed!),
but
>>> I have what is essentially ovarian cancer. Strange, isn't it?
>>>
>>> These are just SOME of the things our Doctors never tell us. ONE OUT OF
>>> EVERY 55 WOMEN WILL GET OVARIAN OR PRIMARY PERITONEAL CANCER! THE
>>> "CLASSIC" SYMPTOMS ARE AN ABDOMEN THAT RATHER SUDDENLY ENLARGES, AND
>>> CONSTIPATION AND/OR DIARRHEA. I had these classic symptoms and went to
>>> the Doctor. Because these symptoms seemed to be "abdominal," I went to a
>>> gastroenterologist. He ran tests that were designed to determine
whether
>>> there was a bacterial infection; these tests were negative, and I was
>>> diagnosed with "Irritable Bowel Syndrome." I guess I would have
accepted
>>> this diagnosis had it not been for my enlarged abdomen. I swear to you,
>>> it looked like I was 4-5 months pregnant! I, therefore, insisted on
more
>>> tests. They took an X-Ray of my abdomen; it was negative. I was,
again,
>>> assured that I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome and was encouraged to go on
>my
>>> scheduled month-long trip to Europe. I couldn't wear any of my slacks
or
>>> shorts because I couldn't get them buttoned, and I KNEW something was
>>> radically wrong.
>>>
>>> I INSISTED on more tests, and they (reluctantly) scheduled me for a
>>> CT-Scan (just to shut me up, I think). This is what I mean by taking
>>> charge of our own health care. The CT-Scan showed a lot of fluid in my
>>> abdomen (NOT normal!).
>>> Needless to say, I had to cancel my trip and have FIVE POUNDS of fluid
>>> drawn off at the hospital (not a pleasant procedure, I assure you, but
>>> NOTHING compared to what was ahead of me). Tests revealed cancer cells
>in
>>> the fluid.
>>> Finally, finally, finally, the Doctor ran a CA-125 blood test and I was
>>> properly diagnosed: I HAD THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS FOR OVARIAN CANCER, AND
>>> YET, THIS SIMPLE CA-125 BLOOD TEST HAD NEVER BEEN RUN ON ME ... NOT AS
>>> PART OF MY ANNUAL PHYSICAL EXAM AND NOT WHEN I WAS SYMPTOMATIC. THIS IS
>>> AN INEXPENSIVE AND SIMPLE BLOOD TEST!!!
>>>
>>> PLEASE, PLEASE, P-L-E-A-S-E TELL ALL YOUR FEMALE FRIENDS AND RELATIVES
TO
>>> INSIST ON A CA-125 BLOOD TEST EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THEIR ANNUAL
PHYSICAL
>>> EXAMS. BE FOREWARNED THAT THEIR DOCTORS MIGHT TRY TO TALK THEM OUT OF
>IT,
>>> SAYING "IT ISN'T NECESSARY." BELIEVE ME, HAD I KNOWN THEN WHAT I KNOW
>>> NOW, WE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY CANCER MUCH EARLIER (BEFORE IT WAS A STAGE
3
>>> CANCER)!!! INSIST ON THE CA-125 BLOOD TEST. DON'T TAKE "NO" FOR AN
>>> ANSWER.
>>>
>>> THE NORMAL RANGE FOR A CA-125 BLOOD TEST IS BETWEEN ZERO AND 35. (MINE
>>> WAS 754 ... THAT'S RIGHT, 754!) IF THE NUMBER IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED,
YOU
>>> CAN HAVE ANOTHER ONE DONE IN THREE OR SIX MONTHS AND KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON
>>> IT JUST LIKE WOMEN DO WHEN THEY HAVE FIBROID TUMORS OR WHEN MEN HAVE A
>>> SLIGHTLY ELEVATED PSA TEST (PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGENS) THAT HELPS
>>> DIAGNOSE PROSTATE CANCER. HAVING THE CA-125 TEST DONE ANNUALLY CAN ALERT
>>> YOU EARLY, AND THAT'S THE GOAL IN DIAGNOSING ANY TYPE OF CANCER --
CATCH
>>> IT EARLY.
>>>
>>> I hope I haven't bored you with all of this. But I hope I HAVE scared
>you
>>> enough to motivate you to action. Do YOU know 55 women? If so, at
least
>>> one of them might have this VERY AGGRESSIVE cancer -- and maybe, just
>>> maybe, it
>>> will be YOU. I hope not.
>>>
>>> Please, go to your Doctor THIS WEEK and insist on a CA-125 test and have
>>> one EVERY YEAR for the rest of your life. And forward this message to
>>> every woman you know and tell all of your female family members and
>>> friends.
>>>
>>> As the Nike ads say, "JUST DO IT!"
>>>
>>
>
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