Leiomyosarcoma Direct Research Foundation

Pamela Sprott's Story

On a beautiful July 4th weekend in 2004, I began having extreme pains in my lower left pelvic area. I went to the emergency room and was told that I had leiomyomas which are benign fibroids. Apparently, they were causing me trouble and I was scheduled for a total abdominal hysterectomy six weeks later (after being denied by my HMO several times). I was told by my doctor that he was certain I should not worry about cancer that fibroids causing problems is quite normal.

However, every time I looked up the word leiomyoma on the internet, another word with pictures, graphics, prognostic factors, etc. would come up. It was leiomyosarcoma. The prognosis for leiomyosarcoma is very poor especially if its primary is in the uterus. This was really scary stuff and so I refused to think about the possibility that I might receive this diagnosis. Funny thing about this, after my diagnosis, I tried to find these sites on the internet so I could reread the information, but I never found them again.

I am a Christian and have a strong faith and belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I am now certain that the Holy Spirit was warning me ahead of time.

But at the time, I thought, I don't need to worry about LMS as my doctor told me he was certain that was not my problem. I went through the hysterectomy on the morning of August 23, 2004, and later that day my doctor said everything was fine. Everything looked normal. I was able to rest easy. Until, two days later (which happened to be my father's birthday/death anniversary) when a visit from my doctor turned my world into helter skelter.

He told me that inside one of the fibroids was a 5cm leiomyosarcoma tumor. I didn't know it at the time, but it had some very bad factors. One being that it was vascular invasive, which meant that it had spread into my blood stream and could be anywhere in my body. The other was that it had a mitotic count of 23 which meant that it was extremely aggressive. Anything over ten is very aggressive.

When he left, I was alone and trying to take it all in when I felt a pat on my shoulder. I don't know why but I just knew that was the Holy Spirit with me giving me reassurance. I have always remembered that and marveled that in the loneliest of moments I have never felt alone.

I had six months of clear scans but I knew the LMS was still there. I was still feeling some pain in that left lower pelvic area. I could kick myself now, though, because I used that time to grieve so much when I could have been enjoying my precious time left here with my loved ones. I did become obsessed about LMS and learned about my disease so that I could understand what the doctors were talking about in scan reports, medical reports, etc. One doctor gave me two years to live. I found out later he didn't know much about LMS and certainly didn't know how to treat it.

In March 2005, I got a bad scan. Two left pelvic tumors and two tumors in each lung. The doctor I was seeing avoided me for three weeks. I had joined an online LMS support group and they insisted I go to the sarcoma specialist at Cedars Sinai here in LA. So, while my other doctor was avoiding me, I went to Dr. Forscher at Cedars who immediately started on the recommended chemo Gem/Tax for uterine LMS. He has planned my treatments for me now for three years and with the help of the Holy Spirit maneuvered me through the worst things a person can go through.

In June 2005, Dr. Forscher sent me to a gyn/oncologist at Cedars to do surgery on the two pelvic tumors which had by this time grown together to become 10cm. She told me I was inoperable and gave me no hope. She did this in front of my son who had just turned 13. He became very upset and told me "I guess you are going to die sooner than I thought, mom." I told him, "I'm not going to die today or tomorrow or next week and we will get through this by the grace of God. So pray for me."

I found another doctor at UCLA who is very aggressive and completely understands LMS as his dad was the Sarcoma Director there who had come up with limb salvaging surgery for LMS patients. Thankfully, over July 4th, 2005, he removed the 10cm tumor which was dead from the chemo. He suggested 28 days of radiation (which really doesn't work well on LMS). I did the 28 days radiation and when I finished the end of October 2005, it was time to address the lung nodules which had now grown to a total of 18 in both lungs.

Surgery was scheduled during Thanksgiving week 2005. My thoracic surgeon removed 36 nodules and left 13 because the surgery was so extensive. My epidural didn't work well so I was somewhat conscious during the bilateral sternotomy. I kept reacting to whatever the surgeon was doing and trying to knock him out. They had to restrain my hands. My heart kept slowing down which made the surgery that much longer and more difficult.

When I woke up, I was in such pain that the anesthesiologist turned up my epidural so high that I quit breathing. I had to be intubated for several days and put in ICU for four days. I prayed for the Holy Spirit to stay with me. When I came home after seven days in the hospital, I had to be on a breathing machine constantly for several months. I was so happy to be home though! I survived a nightmare miraculous surgery. I have been told that most doctors would have closed me back up when they saw that many nodules in my lungs. My doctor pressed on and got as many as he could for me.

In January 2006, the 13 remaining nodules in my lungs showed up on my scans, but there was nothing in my abdomen or pelvic area. Dr. Forscher started me on chemo again. My next scans didn't show much improvement of the nodules, so he sent me to a clinical trial which I began in June 2006. I so wanted a break from fighting this disease.

During July 4th, 2006, I came to visit family and friends in Atlanta with my son for the first time in eight years. I came to the later morning service at Mt. Paran Church of God with my son and friend, Carole. When we sat down, one of the gentlemen greeters came over to me and asked what that was in my arm. I told him it was a picc line. He asked what that was and I explained that I had cancer and the doctors use it to do blood draws and chemo infusions.

He told me that he had been lead to pray for me. We held hands and he laid hands on me and prayed a healing prayer for me. We all started crying and everyone around us became involved in his prayer for me. The presence of the Holy Spirit was very strong and I believe at that moment I knew I was going to be healed from this insidious disease.

Ever since that prayer, I have continued to fight this disease but with a different outlook. I have believed there was an end in sight where I would get a break from LMS and be able to live my life again. And, even though in Jan. 2007, when I was on the worst chemo of my life, and wanted to give up, I have been claiming my healing every day. At that time, my husband booked a cruise to Italy where I have longed to go for quite some time. I told him he was crazy because we just didn't know what my health would be like. He said "Your job is to get well so we can go."

So, here I am in April 2008. I have seen my healing in the natural. The doctors got rid of the last three tumors in my lungs. I have never had another scan that showed anything anywhere else in my body.

Three doctors have told me I have no evidence of disease or NED as we say in the cancer world.
Praise the Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And, we are cruising Italy in June 2008 with no cancer!

I am forever grateful for my healing prayer and for finally getting an opportunity to rest from treatments. Now, I know the potential of this aggressive disease is quite high to return. However, I am claiming my healing from the Holy Spirit. I believe I will continue to improve in my health until Jesus comes for me and says it is time for me to return home with Him.

Hugs and Blessings,

Pamela Sprott
Valencia, CA

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Last Edited - 24 April 2008 07:27 am