Meet Ovarian Cancer Survivor Jill Pall- Part 2

Here is the second part of Jill Pall’s story…..

Talking about my seven year fight with ovarian cancer is difficult for me.  It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I actually can’t recall all of it.  Some of the information is jumbled, and I’m not sure if that has to do with all of the treatments and drugs I was on.  There are memories that are so crystal clear and their are parts I cannot recall no matter how hard I try. I also think it’s partially because we try to block things out to really save ourselves the pain of remembering. And, I tend to change the topic when I don’t feel like getting out of my comfort zone.  I want to share my story because I want women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer to know that although our journey may be different, they are not alone.

Super Bowl XLVIII is being played at MetLife Stadium this Sunday.  I live in New York and work in New Jersey, so the excitement is all around me.  I’ve been going to many amazing events and having an awesome time. But, I can’t help thinking back to February 2012, the year the Giants won Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.  That too was a very exciting time here.  And, I was thrilled for my friends who played for New York as they came back from a so- so season to dominate and win the coveted Lombardi Trophy.

You’re probably wondering what Super Bowl XLVI has to do with anything.  The answer is a lot.  It’s a marker in my cancer journey that I will always remember.  I watched from my couch as guys I knew celebrated one of the best moments of their lives. I remember calling my dad and simply saying “They won the Super Bowl” with tears in my eyes and a huge smile on my face.

A month earlier, I was very sick with pneumonia because a co-worker decided coming to work while she was very ill was appropriate even though she was fully aware that I had cancer and a compromised immune system.  I don’t really remember much from that week, but my temperature was between 103 and 105 for about 5 days.  I couldn’t eat anything and I lost approximately 25 lbs that I really needed on my body.  The toll this took on me was just incredible.  It took months for me to gain the weight i had lost and get my nutrition regimen back to where it had been.

Two days before Thanksgiving 2011, I was two years cancer free. I went to my oncologist for my check up and celebrated my milestone with my friends, only to hear those dreaded words, “you have cancer, again” a few days later.

I was devastated, but sort of used to it, since this was the third time I was told I had cancer. I was totally unprepared for it to come back. But, I was also in amazing shape both physically and mentally and confident I would beat it again.

When I was first diagnosed, I was in my twenties and really didn’t know anyone my age who had cancer, let alone ovarian cancer. But, I had a lot of experience with doctors and second, third, fourth (and sometimes even sixth) opinions having been hit by a mini van while walking across the street several years prior.  I really wanted to find an oncology team that would listen to me, figure out what was wrong, fix it and always have my best interests front and center.

I met with three teams at different cancer centers in NYC and ended up choosing the hospital where I was originally diagnosed. There was really no doubt in my mind because we clicked immediately.  From their bedside manner to their progressive approach to surgeries to their desire to explore new treatments options, I knew I was making the right decision.

Collectively, we decided on an alternative course of action.  This was a combination of surgery, treatment and a really intensive nutrition plan.  Back then, clean eating, juicing, etc. wasn’t so mainstream as it is today.  I had been a vegetarian for a very long time, so I knew part of this diet would be fairly easy for me.  But, trying to incorporate eggs, meat and fish in would be somewhat challenging.  I learned how to get all of my nutrients from food instead of supplements and was able to keep my levels pretty stable the entire time I had cancer (to this day, actually).  Some of the adjustments were stacking food, which was a completely new approach for me. Basically, I would eat as much as I could when I could actually stomach food, knowing full well I might be sick and/or not have an appetite for several days.  I started juicing whenever possible and every single thing I ate was prepared fresh in my own kitchen.  Sometimes, actually, often, this required the help of others.  It was somewhat hard not to be able to go to a restaurant, bar, sporting event or concert and not be able to eat or drink anything that wasn’t factory sealed (while also sticking to a clean diet).  This is something “normal” people will never have to think about— the amount of bacteria out there.  Ice machines are the dirtiest, most disgusting and glasses washed at a bar are not actually clean.  Then, you have the quality of the ingredients in the food at a restaurant, the conditions in which they are stored and how they are prepared- all things I never really put a lot of thought into, though I had always been a conscious eater.  I had good days and I had bad days, but I am completely convinced my new outlook on nutrition really helped me be so much healthier while fighting my cancer and healing from my surgeries.

When my cancer came back the second time, a little over a year later, I trusted my team and we tried a new approach.  I had another surgery (“simple” laparoscopic surgery done by a fancy robot, minimal scar) that wasn’t nearly as bad as the first one (google laparotomy if you don’t know what one is, and then add wicked complications on the operating table).  In fact, I ended up going back to work a week later.  That was something important to me.  I know that it is wise to take it easy, but for me to be laying down and not able to do anything, it’s complete and utter mental torture.  I actually didn’t tell my clients or coworkers (other than a select few) that I had cancer until months later when I started treatment.  They were surprised because I didn’t let my illness affect my work at all.  I don’t like talking about it even to this day, and only my parents and closest friends know the details, but I would get very sick very suddenly during this course of treatment.

I chose to be an advocate because I realized there wasn’t much information out there about getting second, third or even fourth opinions when choosing an oncology team.  I also was extremely lucky because my team was all about my total health and well-being.  I encourage anyone newly diagnosed to think about their needs (both short term and long term) and make sure they are being met by the team they select.

Stay tuned… I’ll be sharing more of my story, soon.