a shocking email

yesterday when i was clearing my emails after being inactive in cyberspace since last friday, i was shocked to receive an email from din. it was subjected "Ovarian Cyst", and i shrugged it off as one of those "out of good intentions" kind of forwarded mail. but as i read the introduction, i was taken aback to see a name that was so familiar to me. it was not a mail from some person in the world whom i have no idea about. it happened to a friend.

my love goes out to des, who was to endure through the pain and agony of discovering a cyst in her ovary and having to go through the operation. i am sure she must have been in shock too when she found out about her condition. i do hope she gets well soon. she still has her dream of pursuing advertising in brisbane with din and ben in july.

her mail was a timely reminder to alert us of the health risks that we are going through. sometimes i simply take things for granted. my smokers friends always tell me, "lung cancer doesn't happen to everyone. if it is to happen to me, it won't be now. perhaps when i am much older. i can wait till then to worry".

as humans, we never seem to worry about things till symptoms seem to show negativities. remembered a friend getting so worried because her menstrual cycle was so irregular and her cramps were getting so bad she could hardly walk. that was when the words "pap smear" became so important.

my conclusion: prevention is definitely better than cure.

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Hi Friends,

To those who don't know me personally my name is Desiree Lai and I'm 23 years old this year. Just a week ago doctors found an ovarian cyst in me which is about 12cm big. No kidding. Many didn't believe me after I told them. Because of its size, I will have to undergo surgery and have it removed. I know this email is kinda long but pls bear with me. This is my personal experience. I wouldn't have known if I didn't have weird abdominal pains.

It happened on the 29th of May 04 when the whole day, I had this stinging cramp-like pain whenever I had to relieve myself. It wasn't like a urinal infection when there's a burning feeling. No. This feeling is almost like menstrual cramps but was nearer to my bladder area. I went to the toilet to pass urine a number of times and the pain kept coming. It would only hurt when I "let go". But later on around 6am the next day, the pain came even though I didn't need to go to the toilet. This time it didnt stop. The pain was so terrible I couldn't really walk nor could I find a position to sit or lie to ease it. Frankly it felt worse than my usual menstrual cramps. When I walked, it hurt. I couldn't bend forward, even a little bit. It went on for about 3 hours before it finally stopped. And it hasn't come back since. I didn't think much of it.

But I decided to visit my GP to find out what cause it as I had never experienced it before. After examining me, he said he felt a lump around my lower abdominal area and he referred me to Singapore General Hospital. After a few consultations which various doctors over there, it was confirmed that it was a ovarian cyst and surgery is the only option. I was shocked. I didn't think that I would have a cyst let alone one thats 12cm! Being told that there's a big lump in your body that is not suppose to be there is scary! The ironic thing was I was planning to go for a check up in June before I leave to Australia for further studies. Menstrual cramps are a norm for me! Had to always pop a few pain killers during my heavy days. And during my period, I would have these chunks of blood/tissue coming out. I thought it was normal as some of my friends had it too. I also had constipation. I wouldn't have thought that all these were caused by that lump.

Because of its mass, it's pressing onto my intestines and rectum making it harder for me to pass motion. All along I thought I didn't have enough fibre in my diet! After talking to many girl friends of mine, I've realised that the awareness of ovarian cysts and other female related ailments is extremely and disturbingly low. Many do not see the need to go visit a gynae and think that things like this will only affect older woman.

Ignorance isn't bliss. It may not seem important to some as an ovarian cyst itself is usually not fatal, but would u rather prevent it from getting worse, tackle the problem when its small or would u want to wait till it causes u discomfort and require surgery? Its your call. So I've decided to do take time to do some research and compile this very detailed information on the ovarian cyst. Its important for all women to know about this! PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ!

What are ovarian cysts?
An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac, similar to a blister, that forms in an ovary. Ovarian cysts are the most common ovarian growths in women of childbearing age, 20 to 35 years old. They are seen more frequently in overweight women. All women develop small ovarian cysts during the menstrual cycle, when an egg matures in a small sac (follicle) on the surface of the ovary. Normally the egg is released from the sac (ovulation), and the sac dissolves. If the egg isn't released, or the sac doesn't dissolve, an ovarian cyst may form. Less commonly, ovarian cysts may develop after treatment with certain infertility medications, or when another disease, such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is present. Some cysts may rupture, twist, or bleed, which can cause severe pelvic pain.

They are commonly seen in women who:
a.. Are between the ages of 20 and 35.
b.. Smoke. Smokers are twice as likely to have ovarian cysts as nonsmokers.
c.. Are being treated for infertility with medications such as Clomid or Serophene.
d.. Have endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), or bulimia.
e.. Having had a previous ovarian cyst.
f.. Use of levonorgestrel implants (Norplant) for birth control.

this is an excerpt from des' email. for those who want more information about ovarian cysts,
please drop me an email or comment with your email address so that i can forward it to you.