Recognized three years in the past with ovarian most cancers, Stormy Butler is discovering success with an experimental therapy.
By IU Well being Senior Journalist, T.J. Banes, tfender1@iuhealth.org
At first she thought it may be a gall bladder assault. However when the ache intensified, Stormy Butler knew it was one thing extra.
The week earlier than Christmas, three years in the past she was recognized with ovarian most cancers. When she acquired the decision, she was at her job, working in company technique for Cummins, Inc.
“I by no means thought I’d have most cancers. I do not forget that day nicely. It was on a Wednesday and I went into the convention room and felt like every thing drained out of my physique by my fingertips,” mentioned Butler, who lives in Columbus, Ind.
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) describe ovarian most cancers as a bunch of illnesses that originate within the ovaries, or within the associated areas of the fallopian tubes and the peritoneum. The American Most cancers Society estimates 21,410 girls will obtain a prognosis of ovarian most cancers in 2021. About half the ladies who’re recognized are 63 years outdated or older.
Butler is 61.
When she visited the physician the day after Christmas in 2018, Butler was advised there was about an 80 % probability of getting the most cancers beneath management. Surgical procedure adopted to take away as a lot of the cancerous space as attainable, together with her colon and appendix.
“They mentioned the remainder was like should you threw a handful of cottage cheese and it was speckled on the wall,” mentioned Butler. On Valentine’s Day, 2019 she started chemotherapy. “It went into remission however then got here again in regards to the dimension of a grain of rice,” mentioned Butler. Within the care of Dr. Sharon Robertson she started an experimental drug. She involves IU Well being Simon Most cancers Middle each 53 days for 3 hours of infusion.
“I name it the ‘voodoo drug’ as a result of it’s actually taking up the most cancers. It appears to be working fairly nicely and I’ve by no means been sick or slowed down by therapies, ” mentioned Butler.
Married to her husband, Chuck, for 41 years, Butler has one grownup little one and is elevating he 12-year-old granddaughter. She enjoys working in her flowerbeds, watching the Smithsonian and Historical past Channels, and enjoying together with her 2-year-old Maltese, “Rigby” named after the Beatles’ Track “Eleanor Rigby.”
Her favourite pastime is attending auctions. An avid collector of vintage biscuit jars; Butler says she is all the time on the hunt for a treasure.
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