Jessica C.J. Clere

Jessica’s story begins with all the symptoms, a test for Ulcers, a shadow on an MRI and then a dream....

My mother and her doctors first thought her symptoms were ulcer related.  She had an MRI of her stomach at which time the doctors saw a shadow and assumed she moved.  A year later her Gynecologist felt something on a routine exam.  The Shadow was actually Ovarian Cancer that had spread to her Stomach.  Stage 3 according to her doctors which I believe were being kind because she worked with them.  Yes, my Mom was a Registered Nurse.  She actually worked with Cancer Patients and was certified to administer Chemotherapy.  I remember the day of her diagnosis.  Oct. 5, 1999.  She was planning to fly out and visit and instead I flew home to wait at the Hospital for 10 hours while she had the first of her Debulking and Testing to verify the diagnosis she had already dreamed about.  They say Ovarian Cancer Whispers and my Mom believed her dream was her body telling her something was wrong.  The Shadow proved to be helpful in determining how fast the Cancer was growing. 
After the first Surgery came the first round of Chemotherapy.  Just in time for Mom’s favorite holiday-Christmas.  Taxol and Sisplatin are the first Chemotherapy Drugs recommended by her doctors.  Mom has a high tolerance for discomfort and came through the Chemo fine.  Mom did use her diagnosis to get all of us kids home for Christmas every year thereafter.  Saying “it might be my last.” Of course it worked and we all spent Christmas together every year.
2000-2002 was filled with MRI’s, Pet Scans and I am sure some Chemo.  Spring of 2002 Mom was selected for a Trial.  It was for Tandem Stem Cell Transplants.  This involved her own healthy stem cells.  They killed all her stem cells and then replenished with the healthy cells.  Did you know Stem Cell’s smell like garlic??  The irony is Mom hated garlic.  She kept getting sick from the smell as well as the procedure itself.  Mom was so tough.  I was with her when she was having this done and I can tell you that you really have to have the will to live and a mental drive to not give up.  Knowing you were going to have to do it again had to be tough.  After the precedure Mom’s check-ups seemed to be positive.  I believe it prolonged her lif by at least a year. 
Mom had stomach problems from day 1 of the first surgery (remember they removed half her stomach in the first surgery) and they continued throughout her 5 year journey.  After having several surgeries there was scaring etc… that created more problems.  Summer of 2004 Mom’s CA125 started to elevate.  The doctors knew the Cancer was spreading and there were no more options.  Mom never gave up.  She tried more Chemo but it was not working.  I can honestly say that she fought with everything she had. She died peacefully in her own bed with her family and hospice (the best organization ever!!!) by her side.
Her doctors where the best.  They never gave up either.  Mom was a Registered Nurse at Brook Army Medical Center and this is where she got her treatment.  Thank-you Dr. Hall and team for everything you did! 
Mom always hoped that a test would be found so that her girls could get diagnosed early.  The survival rate with early detection is 85-90%. 
Jessicashope is the beginning of trying to fulfill that hope. 

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