With this diagnosis I yearn to learn more from women who have had this disease and how they managed it and how it affected them. I want to know if my experience is similar or different from theirs. I want to know everything I can. In searching I have found tidbits from women on sites where they are answering someone's question, but I'm not sure if I have ever found a whole story.
As much as I want to continue to learn, now I have my own knowledge from experience and want to share that knowledge with others. I want to share my story, and hope some day it might help a women in shoes similar to mine gain some understanding about the process.
All cancers, (as in every single one) is different. Each person is different and comes with different genes, lifestyles, and habits. My journey will not be your journey, but it might shed light and help you to make decisions based on what I have learned through my journey.
The beginning:
It all began on Tuesday March 14th, 2016 while I was in the second to last week of my first level II field work for occupational therapy. Level II field work consists of two twelve week placements at clinics/facilities/schools etc.. One 12 week placement is in mental health and one is in physical disability. I happened to be at a VA (Veterans Administration) hospital doing my physical disability rotation.
I stood up from my desk after writing my SOAP notes for the day and felt a wet fluid coming out of my vagina. It felt like blood. Being 56 at the time and well into menopause I knew that if it was blood it was not a good thing. I went to the ladies room to check. It was blood. A fair amount. I remained relatively calm on the outside, but not so much on the inside. It had soaked straight through my pants and I was happy I was wearing very dark pants that hid it.
On my way home from Albany, an hour and fifteen minute drive, I called my sister, and we both concurred a trip to the ER was in order. A phone call to my GP also confirmed this would be the best course of action since they were closing for the day.
I won't go into details. Blood work, exam, ultrasound, all came up "unremarkable". The ER doctor set me up with a follow-up with a local gynecologist for more extensive testing. I had been using my GP for Pap testing for the past 10 years, of which all had come up clean. Many years ago, as in 28, I had a Pap test come up with dysplasia with results of HPV. Prior exams all were negative and I was now following the new guidelines and it had been 2 years since my last exam when this occurred. Fiddlesticks.
I saw this new doctor who I tried to like upon meeting. He did a biopsy on me. Then I did not like him. Fiddlesticks again. I won't tell you how brave I am when it comes to pain, but I had two children without medication. This hurt like hell. The results were: atypical cells. Not conclusive enough. Next was a D & C and colposcopy. He wanted to do them separately and I said, "Oh, hell no. You do them both while I am under anesthesia". He said he did not know if there was a colposcope in the operating room. I think I gave him the evil eye. Both procedures were done under anesthesia.
Stay tuned for what happened.....
**In real time... Today (1/23/17) I am having my first CT scan since the end of treatment. Hold me in your thoughts and prayers.
Sassy Lassie
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