Meet Jessica: mother, wife, daughter and mesothelioma warrior.
Jessica was diagnosed with peritoneal mesothelioma in June 2015. As to be expected, her reaction was a mix of shock, fear and confusion. Her story exemplifies how the will to live and fight can conquer doubt, sadness and the unforeseen.
In early 2015, Jessica began to experience increasing pain in her abdomen. Several doctors gave her the runaround. Some said it was a stomach bug, others indicated ovarian polyps and some even thought that it was all on her head due to anxiety. After an ER trip, Jessica went to her general doctor for testing – deep down she knew something was terribly wrong – and was referred to a gynecologist oncologist. That doctor ordered a biopsy, and the results were not good.
Jessica had cancer, and it was everywhere.
“I will remember every moment of that 10-second statement. I will remember how the room smelled and the look on my family’s faces.”
It would take another month to get the results of peritoneal mesothelioma.
Soon after receiving her diagnosis, Jessica got to work. She researched relentlessly and was on a quest for long-term survivors. Two of her friends, one a doctor of microbiology and the other a cancer researcher, helped her understand the readings of her biopsy along with medical jargon. She also fished through case studies and read up on current clinical trials. All this eventually led her to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.
“I am in debt to this organization, as are so many others. It is an invaluable resource to those with mesothelioma.”
Since diagnosis, Jessica has undergone various treatments that include cytroeductive surgery with HIPEC chemotherapy, which took well over 14 hours. Her peritoneum, omentum, right ovary, part of her diaphragm colon and intestines, and appendix were removed. Hundreds of tumors were also removed from several other areas of her abdomen.
Her treatment was extremely challenging, and the pain was difficult to control. At the time, Jessica was a newlywed, but she had to move in with her parents who live three hours away, while her husband, Brandon, worked during the week. On the weekends, he’d come visit her.
“I was extremely grateful for the support, but my life had turned upside down. I had gone from a newlywed looking forward to starting a family to someone who couldn’t even get out of bed by herself.”
After learning that she could lose part – if not all – of her reproductive system, she begged her doctor to save enough so that she could have the opportunity to start her family, if everything worked out. Following surgery, she waited over a year before she was cleared to start In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Six months later she was pregnant, and her son, Avery, was born in July 2017.
Jessica and Brandon had always wanted to have a second child, but Jessica was unsure about going through the IVF process again. “Although it was a smooth process, the months of injections, hormones and procedures took a toll,” remembered Jessica. “We opted to try a program through the University of Chicago, which focused on physical therapy along with an ovary stimulant.” Much to their surprise, they were pregnant again a few months later, and welcomed their second son, Elliott, in February 2019.
Although the birth came with complications due to scar tissue from her previous cytoreductive surgery, Elliott is a completely healthy two-month-old alongside his equally healthy and happy older brother, Avery, who is now 21 months. Jessica and Brandon are enjoying life with two baby boys and are beyond grateful for the opportunity to be parents. “Every day is a joy,” said Jessica.
When asked what advice she gives to other mesothelioma warriors, Jessica encourages them to keep the faith and never lose hope. “Be unmovable in what you want because it’s your body and your life.” To caregivers, she advises making sure they take time for themselves because it’s so easy to get lost in the disease and forget what you are to your loved one.
