How Elise Found Courage, Community, and Love after her Endometrial Cancer Diagnosis

I was first diagnosed with Endometrial Cancer, Stage 1-A, in October of 2016. I was 62 years old. The only symptom I had was postmenopausal spotting. I got an appointment fairly quickly with an OBGYN, who took a Pap test and told me that bleeding was not a good sign. Still, I remained positive while waiting for the results. It turned out the results confirmed Stage 1-A Endometrial Cancer. I had no idea what that even was. I was shocked by what she said and waited until I got to my car to break down. I called my daughter-in-law and cried to her. She said, “Don’t worry, we’ll handle this.” I thought to myself, there is no we in this scenario—it’s all me.

My son accompanied me to my appointments, both pre-surgery and post-surgery, and he was there during my surgery. Afterward, I went to his home, where my daughter-in-law took care of my meals and made sure I got rest for the next two days before I returned home. A friend from New Jersey also came to stay with me for a week. Since I had my hysterectomy surgery through the Da Vinci method, my recovery time was miraculously short. I was out and about just three days post-surgery. A robot, guided by the surgeon, poked five holes in my abdominal area to perform the surgery—no cuts. Google it—it’s quite incredible. It’s easy to overdo it physically because you feel so good, but rest is very important.

I eventually moved to Louisville, KY, to live near my sister and my 90-year-old mom. Unfortunately, the cancer came back after 1.5 years, at which time I noticed more spotting. A vaginal polyp tested positive for the same cells as the original diagnosis. Now it was called Endometrial Metastasis. The doctor suggested I undergo 30 radiation treatments. For six weeks, I went to a nearby cancer clinic every morning, Monday through Friday, at 8:00 a.m., and then went to work. I experienced fatigue, but that was it. I considered myself very blessed—I don’t believe in luck. I wasn’t as scared of the cancer as I was of the unknowns of radiation and its side effects, but I trusted God and my doctors.

I did well for almost five years after that. I was working out and stronger than I had been in a long time. During that time, I also endured two cataract surgeries and a hip replacement. I was at the top of my game. I even met a man, started dating again, and was having fun. Then, while on vacation, I drank a beer (there’s a great divine intervention story with that), and I got terrible stomach pains for a few days. When I got home, I had to go to the emergency room, where I received my next surprise. I had a tumor on my ileum and a few tumors on my lungs. The cancer had spread. Now it was called advanced Endometrial Cancer with metastasis to the ileum and lungs. The cells were the same as those from the original diagnosis.

I had surgery to remove the intestinal cancer, but this time, the dreaded word “chemo” was introduced. That scared the bejesus out of me. I drove my family nuts, changing my mind about treatment every day. One day I was ready for chemo, the next I was looking into alternative therapies. Most of my family is pro-traditional medicine, while a couple support alternative approaches. I have one nephew who is an ER doctor and another who is an Eastern medicine doctor. My son finally broke my cycle of indecision. He got upset, telling me I was wasting time and needed to act fast. His close friend had just completed chemo for breast cancer and was doing well, and he believed I would be fine too. My gynecologic oncologist even called me four times, pleading with me to begin treatment. Those two voices were my deal-breakers.

I went to my first chemo session feeling like a brave, but very scared, little girl. Fear of the unknown has always been a problem for me, and I think that’s pretty common. My sister was by my side, just as she had been when I first went to the ER, when she held my hand before my surgery, and when she slept in my hospital room. She has been my angel.

The chemo went surprisingly well. I slept through all of my treatments because the first drug they gave me was Benadryl—it knocked me out! I had no major side effects. I felt great the day of treatment and the next day or two, but then I would feel tired and a little off for a couple of days. During that time, I stayed home and rested. I never lost my appetite; in fact, I gained weight. The doctor was happy about that, but I wasn’t. I did fine for nine months, but eventually, the neuropathy in my feet became pretty bad. It’s a common side effect of the chemo drugs, so they stopped the chemotherapy and continued with an immunotherapy drug instead. The immunotherapy helps the body’s immune system fight the cancer on its own.

I continued treatments every three weeks for another eight months until I hit another roadblock. After one treatment, I developed terrible abdominal pains and was rushed to the hospital, where I was diagnosed with sepsis and colitis. I was very, very sick and stayed in the hospital for four days. This happened just this past August. The hospital staff believed it was a side effect of the immunotherapy, so that treatment was stopped. My doctor and I agreed to let my body rest. I currently have one small active node in one lung, and I have a CT scan scheduled for the end of May, at which point we will decide what to do next.

It’s been a very positive journey so far. I am no longer afraid because I’ve experienced the options available to me. There is so much love in the cancer world. I’ve made friends with other cancer patients and formed connections with the nurses who have treated me. I will never forget their kindness.

The following is an excerpt by the original author: I am Elise Gyle-Birdsall and I am nearing my 71st birthday. I live in Prospect, KY with my sister and brother-in-law. I was diagnosed in 2016 with stage 1-A Endometrial cancer. I am a 3-time survivor, having gone through hysterectomy, radiation and chemo. I am currently retired and was a Property Manager for 20 years with various companies around the USA. I spend my days attending church functions, traveling and singing in my church choir. I am also a member of Live Strong at my local YMCA, where I have made lifelong friends. Members are cancer survivors. I feel blessed to be on this journey, so I can help friends and strangers to not be fearful of their futures. Meanwhile, I’m still learning ways to cope with my own issues with cancer.

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Last modified: May 8, 2025