Gilda's disease (and mine too)

Golden Gilda
Recently, I read a book about Gilda Radner, the comedienne most famous for her characters on Saturday Night Life, who died of ovarian cancer. She'd suffered symptoms of the disease for almost a year before she was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer (the highest stage). She fought it for three years before dying in 1989.

In some ways, it was a difficult read because it contain excerpts written by Gilda herself (in her own book, It's Always Something). She talked about her fear, frustration, anger, disbelief and exhaustion. In many ways, I could relate to her experience.

The book was written by Gilda's husband, Gene Wilder, in collaboration with an oncologist. So it also discussed the stages of ovarian cancer, the treatments (and their history), the effects on the body, and survival rates based on treatments, type of disease and staging.

These medical details were also difficult to digest because I've taken a step away from treatment during remission, so it's easier for me to forget those unsettling details because I've pushed them to the back of my mind.

While the book was challenging to read, it was also rewarding. I somehow feel closer to this woman, who died 21 years ago. I only vaguely remember her from SNL, but her situation and her story touched me. I feel an affinity because we suffered from the same awful disease.

I also found it a little encouraging to read how ovarian cancer treatment has progressed over the years. Hopefully newer breakthroughs will increase the survival rates (or eradicate all cancer entirely). Gilda died 21 years ago. Surely research has improved treatment and longevity rates during those many years.

Michael is now reading this book, Gilda's Disease, but says he has to digest it in small chunks. He finds it disturbing and emotionally draining, so he has to mentally process the information before he can read further.

Fewer survivors = less publicity
In a way, it bothers me that there are few famous ovarian cancer survivors - the most notable ones (or those I recognized) are Kathy Bates and Carol Channing. However, many famous women died from the disease including, Queen Mary I, Coretta Scott King (widow of Martin Luther King Jr.), Ann Dunham (mother of Barack Obama), Marcheline Bertrand (mother of Angelina Jolie) and Dinah Shore (actress). Scanning the list of famous folks who've had ovarian cancer startled me because of the young age at which many died.

However, there is an abundance of famous people who've survived breast cancer and talk about it regularly, including Sheryl Crow, Christina Applegate, Melissa Etheridge, Kylie Minogue and Kate Jackson, to name just a few. These individuals have raised the profile and accelerated fundraising efforts for this form of cancer.

Don't get me wrong. I think any form of cancer research is valuable, because a breakthrough in one area may lead to developments to fight others. The list of famous individuals affected by breast cancer is also much longer, highlighting that many more are diagnosed with that horrible disease (yes, I think any form of cancer is horrible).

I guess I'm a little sad at the lower profile of this silent killer. Perhaps if ovarian cancer could get a famous spokesperson like Angelina Jolie or Patrick Demsey (whose mom survived the disease), it would get a higher profile, more women would be familiar with its vague symptoms and get treatment earlier, and it would get more research funding.

Quick update on mom
I've been asked to provide an update on my mom every once in a while. She started her third round of chemotherapy yesterday. It was the big dose day; the one where she gets the taxol, carboplatin and gemcitabine.

I've already heard from her this morning and she says she's feeling pretty good. The tingling in her extremities hasn't gotten any worse, so that's good. The doctor is a little concerned about her low red blood cell counts, so she may need a transfusion at some point.

She's mentally geared up for the bad days (Saturday and Sunday), but is taking advantage of the good ones. Way to go mom!

It's a good reminder that we all need to take advantage of those good days.

Tina