it would never be the same
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it would never be the same
“Dr. Rubin ‘wrote the book’ on gynecologic surgery.”
Within two weeks, Mary Schwarzenberger’s life as she knew it would never be the same. On April 2, 2015, Mary made an appointment with her general practitioner after experiencing what she thought was a urinary tract infection. “When he examined me, he noticed enlargement of my ovary, and he arranged for an immediate ultrasound. When I had the ultrasound I asked them to forward results to both my general doctor and my gynecologist,” Mary recalls.
She perceived the sense of urgency, and a few days later her gynecologist shared he had the test results and asked Mary to come in right away. Her gynecologist ordered a second ultrasound. “I went to his consulting room, where he informed me that my ovary was definitely enlarged and would need to be removed. He also told me that it may be cancer,” she says.
“My gynecologist explained that while he did not perform this type of surgery, he had a medical school friend who did,” shares Mary, who followed his instructions and made an appointment with Stephen C. Rubin, MD, Chief, Gynecologic Cancer at Fox Chase Cancer. “My doctor told me Dr. Rubin ‘wrote the book’ on gynecologic surgery and was at the top of his class. This was someone he would send his loved ones to, if needed. That was all the endorsement I needed to hear,” Mary says. Fox Chase offers 24-hour appointments, allowing new patients the opportunity to be seen the next business day. Mary had an appointment with Dr. Rubin the following afternoon. “I had the pleasure of working with a Fox Chase nurse navigator, Carol Cherry, who got me in right away and addressed all of my concerns.”
“The next day I drove myself to Fox Chase in Philadelphia, which is about 65 miles away. Dr. Rubin reviewed the ultrasound and examined me. He recommended a hysterectomy and agreed with my gynecologist that it may be cancer,” Mary shares. “When you hear two highly-trained, well-respected medical professionals in two days tell you that you may have cancer, you really grasp the gravity of the situation.”
Eight days later, in mid-April, Dr. Rubin performed the surgery. “I found Dr. Rubin to be very professional and straight-forward, yet he also had a very reassuring demeanor,” she continues. “My friend came with me on the day of surgery and while she waited, she was impressed with the system of keeping family and friends informed on patient status and whereabouts,” she says. Following surgery, the pathology confirmed Dr. Rubin’s predicted diagnosis: Mary was diagnosed with stage 1B ovarian cancer.
One month after surgery, Mary reported she was feeling well. “Fox Chase was the best choice for my care. In retrospect, I believe much of it had to do with knowing I was in the best hands at an excellent facility,” Mary says. “I would recommend Fox Chase to anyone who has to undergo treatment for cancer. When I was a patient there, I was very impressed with the level of care I received, which was phenomenal. The nurses were compassionate, professional and attentive. Everyone I came into contact with was pleasant, from the custodial personnel to the food service staff. I am impressed with the concern for patient comfort and care.”
“I am forever grateful to my doctors, who will always be my heroes.”
Mary wanted to offer this testimonial so she can help others. “I believe in giving back and doing whatever I can to help others. By giving testimony to the quality of care at Fox Chase and telling my story, I hope that I can help someone get an early diagnosis and prevent late stage discovery,” Mary adds. A former educator and now an artist in Hunterdon County, NJ, Mary plans to donate several works to express her gratitude to Fox Chase. In May 2015, she began a 16-week course of chemotherapy. “I consider myself very, very fortunate in getting an early diagnosis and having the solution fall into place so quickly. I am forever grateful to my doctors, who will always be my heroes.”