Jane’s Story of Resilience

“Hearing those words, ‘You have cancer,’ can turn your world upside down,” said Jane, as she reflected on her journey through ThedaCare, starting with Women’s Care of Wisconsin’s Dr. Valary Gass.

Jane acknowledged that she may not be representative of the typical patient whose stories are shared in our blog, but she was strongly inclined to recognize Dr. Gass’ influence upon her journey.

This is Jane's life-changing story:

In early 2020, I started to experience symptoms such as irregular and excessive spotting, despite being post-menopausal. Unfortunately, ignoring the symptoms was compatible with my approach towards gynecology, as my experiences with past practitioners have been less than positive. However, it came to a point where I could no longer ignore the possibility that I may have cancer (my ultimate diagnosis was endometrial cancer).

After seeing my primary in Waupaca, it was recommended that I see a provider in the Valley. Not being familiar with any ob/gyn providers, I checked the Women’s Care site and saw Dr. Gass’ profile, thinking, she looked kind, accepting. I noticed her warm smile.

During my first appointment with Dr. Gass, I was immediately put at ease. It turns out that her smile was sincere, and reflective of her compassion and generous nature. Before initiating any procedure, she took the time to listen intently and acknowledge any potential concerns. She did not judge or try to negate any former experiences that I presented. She reassured me that I had autonomy and control. It felt like she was partnering with me, rather than directing me through the process.

In order to feel more comfortable through the procedure of taking a biopsy, she reminded me that nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) was an available option, and I should not feel ashamed for easing the discomfort. And so, I did accept the aid, again feeling reassured by her approach.

During the procedure, Dr. Gass walked me through each step, explaining in detail, with a calm and reassuring voice.

After the procedure was completed and the sample collected, I was given time to gather myself. Dr. Gass brought the sample to me, so I could see the abnormality.

She said in a gentle, but direct tone, ‘You may want to prepare yourself; this looks suspicious to me,’ while holding up the vial. ‘These cells may be cancerous.’

Her approach boosted my trust, which made all the difference in how I participated in my treatment. I knew I had to prepare and empower myself for the steps ahead. I felt confident that I could take on the challenge.

Dr. Gass later called to validate her suspicions, and again did not sugarcoat or distract as she laid out the recommendations. Before ending the call, she took the time to ensure that I understood what she had said, and asked if I was doing okay emotionally. Again, her sincerity and compassion evident.

And so I began the five-year process through ThedaCare Oncology, which was as good of an experience as it could be. All of the providers there, also competent and caring. After graduating from oncology, I was referred back to gynecology, and chose to return to Dr. Gass’ care.

I just recently saw her for my five-year marker and she acknowledged my recovery with enthusiasm, and that warm-hearted smile, sharing how truly happy she was for me. Her validation meant a lot, as I reflected on the very start of my journey. It was the spring of 2020, which was also the start of Covid, a very dark time for all of us, patients and providers alike. I remain grateful to the professionals within the ThedaCare system who were assigned to my care; they were always professional and supportive.

I have learned much about myself along the way. I am more resilient than I thought I was. I have a different perspective on life and my relationships, and I have learned to take better care of myself, physically and emotionally.

I have been retired for nearly two years now and feel grateful for the gifts of time and freedom. I adopted a 5-pound Chihuahua, named Quinn, who is my companion as I venture into all things nature related. Spending time among trees, kayaking on still waters, biking down a path, seeking adventures while camping. Quinn is my constant companion through it all. She seems to love riding with me on my moped most of all, as she has a vantage point of all of the rabbits and squirrels in the neighborhood, keeping tabs.

Looking back, I can say that I am truly blessed.

Leah's Story

Leah was authentic from the get-go.

“I hate making decisions. I like to let external forces make decisions for me,” she said.

But you know what? Leah made a lot of good decisions, like first-time moms just seem to do.

Her one-month-old could be heard in the background, squeaking encouragement and approval as mom told her tale.

And here’s what Leah said:

I have notes prepared for this. I feel like I’m not a very good speaker.

When I found out I was pregnant, I went with a provider that was in the same system as my primary. I was thinking about working with a midwife but I found the location where I was going only had OB’s. No midwives. So I thought, ‘Well, whatever, I’m sure it’s fine.’

One thing I did know was that I wanted a doula. So when I hired one, she helped explain the difference between an OB and a midwife and encouraged me to look around and see what else was out there. After doing more research and reading some pregnancy books, I felt confident that I wanted to try a midwife first, as long as I stayed low risk. It seemed more my style.

One of my girlfriends, who did a ton of research and was looking to do a VBAC, had looked into all kinds of places and did a ton of consultations and decided to go with an OB at Women’s Care of Wisconsin. She told me she really liked them, and her recommendation sparked me to call.

Now, I have a hard time picking a provider based on a video or a written bio because you never really know until you meet them in person, so when I called I simply said I was interested in a consultation with a midwife who is accepting patients or is nearby. I live in Kaukauna and went with the Appleton location because it was closer; that’s how I got with Jenny. I hadn’t even looked up anything about her at all!

I was definitely more prepared for this appointment than I was for the one with the OB, and part of that was because I had better questions to ask this time around. Women’s Care was very different from the place I'd been at previously. It was warm and welcoming instead of cold and sterile feeling. The nurse who first spoke with me and went through a ton of materials with me was awesome, and they gave me printed materials! I like having printed materials, not just digital documents sent to my phone.

When Jenny came in, she also went through a ton of information, and then she let me ask whatever questions I had. At the previous place, the appointments seemed a little rushed, kind of like they were just checking some boxes. Jenny answered all my questions really thoroughly. We were nearing the end of our appointment and I said, ‘I have a few more questions, but if you have to go . . .’

Jenny was awesome and said, “No, no, no, you keep going!”

I will also say I was very nervous early on about the birth plan and delivery day, because people kept telling me my plan can be whatever I want. That was frustrating to hear because it’s my first time—I don’t really know what I want, how this works, or even what my options are.

I brought that up to Jenny, and she explained that I didn’t need to know the plan right away, that it was something you figure out later in the third trimester. So that made me feel relieved. And then she mentioned how it's important to not be too tied to your plan anyway because things sometimes don’t go the way you think they will.

Or as Jenny said, “Baby’s gonna do what baby’s gonna do.” 

And I don't know why, but that just made me feel better. Like, I didn't need to have every part of my plan figured out to a T, or have a Plan B for every scenario. I could hope for the best and then just trust that my care team has me and my baby’s well-being as their top priority and will help me figure it out if something changes. I talked about that with my therapist, and she told me to give myself permission to not think bad thoughts about giving birth. So, I just didn't think about it. And that was great and gave me some relief for a few months.

That worked until month 8 . . . then it was, ‘Okay, this is going to happen.’

I shared all my anxieties with Jenny along the way. She never laughed at me or my questions. I definitely shed some tears in those appointments. She was so patient with me, so good at explaining my options and providing recommendations when I asked, and always explaining the reasoning behind what she thought was best for me.

And now we have Averi. Born eight pounds three ounces and now she's ten pounds seven ounces. She's doing awesome. Of course she has her fussy moments where you have to figure it out, but she's a really great baby😊.