Flying in memory of Terry Scharstein

I was astounded when I found out that Terry Scharstein had died last weekend. For those of you who did not have the absolute pleasure of knowing her, you really missed out. She had an incredible spirit and a heart bigger than Texas.

I am so honored to have known her. She always came up to me and gave me a hug. She always asked how I was doing and if there was anything she could do for me. She told me that she was proud of me. She was proud of me and I was proud and in awe of her. Terry had ovarian cancer. In the last few days of her life she did not live in denial, although I think some of the rest of us did. That is why I am sitting here still not wanting to believe it.

As important as her life was, she did something remarkable that will keep going in her death. She established the Lowcountry Women with Wings Fund. This fund was developed to provide support to other women with ovarian and other gynecologic cancers who have questions and need information on what to expect, who need other patients to talk to and, most importantly, to talk about this disease. One of her main goals was to convince women to listen to their bodies and if something doesn’t feel right or is unusual to go to their doctor and discuss it. She believed that if she had listened to her body, her disease would have been caught earlier and she could have had a better fighting chance. She wanted women to have the network of support that she did not have while battling this disease.

I am posting a quote by Terry and the symptoms of ovarian cancer below.

"The bottom line is to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Don’t brush it aside. Pay attention. Your life may depend upon it. "
Terry Scharstein

Here are common symptoms associated with ovarian cancer:

Pelvic or abdominal pain or discomfort.
Vague but persistent gastrointestinal upsets such as gas, nausea, and indigestion.
Frequency and/or urgency of urination in the absence of an infection.
Unexplained weight gain or weight loss.
Pelvic and/or abdominal swelling, bloating and/or feeling of fullness.
Ongoing unusual fatigue.
Unexplained changes in bowel habits.
If your symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks, consult your physician.

Please read about Terry and her incredible gift at http://lowcountrywomenwithwings.org/meet_terry.html. If you feel the need, donate. If you don't at least tell other women to pay attention to their bodies. Waiting too late just may rob them of precious time in the future. Let's not let many more extraordinary women die from this disease.