The Fight of a Life Time

I am Alina. Stage 4 Cancer (Stage IV Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of an unknown primary) doesn't define me, or who I am. But Cancer has caused me to battle in the largest fight I will ever face in my life time. Imagine being 16 almost 17 with a 1 year old daughter and walking into a yearly GYN appointment, and hearing you have a large mass in your abdomen, we need to do surgery right away. Only to have the surgery done( January 2014) and find out that they found cancer cells during the pathology review of the tumor. Your heart skips a beat, and everyone tells you not to worry anymore then you have too. Stay strong, hopefully its nothing to serious. A month later you go in for your first appointment at 17 to see an oncologist for the first time in your life, when most people never see an oncologist in there lifetime. Your doctor tells you he thinks that its necessary to do another surgery that he called a debulking surgery. In March of 2014 removed my left ovary, appendix, momentum, lymphnodes, etc. The pathology of that surgery showed a few cancer cells on my left ovary. But the doctor told me he didnt see a need for chemotherapy, or radiation at that point, and that after that surgery he never thought I'd have a run in with cancer again. Woohhoooo right. I thought wow what a victory. Lets fast forward to November 2014. I am living in Pittsburgh with my Husband( at the time) and 2 year old daughter. And find out that I am pregnant. The odds of becoming pregnant again were much smaller with having only 1 remaining ovary. So although I was scared to be a mother of 2 at 18 I felt blessed that God allowed me to become pregnant with a second child. December 2014, I had an ultrasound done at a local hospital to where I was living because I was having abdominal pain. They told me they found 3 tumors on my right ovary. And referred me to an oncologist in Pittsburgh at UPMC Hospital. The doctor said lets just monitor the tumors and get ultrasounds monthly, this might not be cancer related. Well in a months time the tumors grew from the size of a grape to the size of a cantaloupe, they decided as a team that as soon as I went into my second trimester that they would open me up and remove my right ovary, and the tumors that were on it. That was a terrifying time. 12 weeks pregnant, 18 years old, thinking about my 2 year old daughter. But I new God had the control so I went through with surgery in January of 2015 and had many complications, they ruptured the tumors in my abdominal cavity during the removal process. But a few weeks later me and my unborn child were on the mend from that surgery. February 2015, the doctors began recommending having a " medically necessary abortion" to terminate the pregnancy of my unborn son. They said the chemo treatments I was about to undergo could pose serious threats to me and baby. I couldn't have an abortion, my child had a right to live, and I never would have been able to live with myself not knowing if my child could have survived my treatments. So I decided to continue with my pregnancy, and continue with my treatments. JUNE 24, 2015 My beautiful baby boy came into this world a few weeks early but perfectly healthy, what a blessing from God. But I still wasnt healthy , and couldn't seem to get better. Since February of 2015 I have undergone 15 different kinds of chemotherapy, 13 additional surgeries, most of which were major life risking procedures, radiation, clinical trials, natural remedies. But still the cancer grows, and as the days go by my prognosis gets worse. What's kept me strong some may ask? MY FAITH IN GOD. He is in control. My children and I have endured so many trials, and tribulations and sufferings during my battle with cancer. I've tried , and tried to keep life normal and not let them realize how sick I really am. I've tried to fight and prove to everyone around me that Cancer doesn't define me because quite frankly it doesn't. But the longer this battle drags out, the harder it has become to keep life normal. Medical bills add up, the cost of traveling to and from doctors multiple times a week adds up. Not being able to work for the past 2.5 years due to my health complications has caused serious strain on my family. Anyone who knows me knows this , I am a loving, kind, generous, and compassionate person. I would do anything for anyone. It is rare that anyone can tell I am sick, because I dont like sympathy, I want people to remember me and think of me for who I really am. Not what cancer has done to me. So I stand strong everyday and fight to keep life as normal as it was before Cancer. I still coach youth Sports, I teach Sunday school, I am a Worship Leader at my local church, I help teach The Good News Club that shares the gospel in the local public schools in our county. I volunteer for local Animal shelters, and Dog rescues. I work hard, and am passionate about everything I do. I try to do my best to give back when and where I can. And I have tried to teach