Cervical Cancer

[livingwith]

I am 40 years old and never missed a pap test until 3 years ago, I became a single parent with 3 children and did not really took the time for myself. A few weeks ago, I finally set up an apt with my physician and after work there was a note from my 13 years old daughter asking to call my doctor. Findind out they need to see me again as they have found abnormal cells. I am very nervous and depressed over this. I also have lower back pain and I have been really tired in the past 6 months which I...Read the full article

[BeenThere]

I found out on Feb. 2, 2007 that I had cervical cancer. I had gone for all the yearly tests in November and they had found a problem. Then I waited until a new ob/gyn could get signed up with my insurance company. I never felt bad, never had any problems and it came as a shock when that phone call came and then the roller coaster ride began. I had several biopsies and then a cone biopsy and then a radical hysterectomy. I refused to tell my parents until the last minute when I was going into the hospital for surgery. I even refused to tell by son until I was faced with all of the paperwork for surgery. I do not recommend that you do what I did. I thought I was doing them a favor from keeping them from worrying - in the end they worried twice as much. Don't try to go it alone and hide from your loved ones. They need you to be honest with them from the very beginning. I hated all of the forms for the doctor's office. Get a doctor that will sit down and talk to you about everything, draw you pictures and tell you what he/she would tell you if you were their sisiter. Even thru the worst day - be positive that this is only a bump in the road and that soon you will be off the roller coaster and on to the tilt-a-whirl and having fun again. I am a survivor and there are a lot of us out there. Good luck.

[pgm]

Hi, my name is Pamela.

Thanks so much for sharing your story. I have only recently been diagnosed and am yet to undergo treatment. The most difficult thing for me (so far) is knowing that I will have to tell my friends and family. I haven't told anyone yet, as I want to be able to give them answers to the questions that I know they will ask. I am dreading giving them the news: I know how distressing it will be for them as we've recently been through the same experience with my mother being diagnosed with cancer. I've contemplated not telling them anything, but I know that it would be very unfair to exclude them from this. I still don't know how I will do it, but reading your story has convinced me that I have to find the strength and that it will be better for all of us if we can go through this together.