Suvivor Stories
WELCOME to the NCCC Survivor section
Below in this Cancer Survivor section are the very personal stories from women battling cervical cancer and an "archive section" with a few of the past years' stories too. You may also submit your personal story on how you are battling issues related to your cervical cancer or persistent HPV disease.
While this section focuses in on cervical cancer survivors, there will also be comments from women that are battling persistent HPV precancerous lesions and cancer survivors' family members and friends too. As Mrs. Randi Kaye, the co-founder of the NCCC stated; "No one person is a statistic." Each person has their own personal battle. Each of us can focus in on HOPE and define HOPE within the context of our unique experiences.
The women in this section are the true heroes in the cervical cancer battle.
**Click here to add your story**
Posted By : Jessie
Posted On : May 08 , 2008
This message is back to Louise
I indeed share your anxieties about having radiation. From day 1 my \"gut\" was saying NO to radiation because of my fears of its short/long-term effects, and also it feels like just too much of an invasion on my healthy body. In times of greatest frustration I think, okay I did the radical hysterectomy--now enough! I am still making a decision about whether or not to have radiation. Fortunately I am working with a Radiology Oncologist who is doing absolutely everything possible to ease my fears including trying to put me in touch with woman who have gone through the treatments. Right now I have gotten to the point that I am leaning towards doing the treatments out of fear of a reoccurence and that it would be the most \"responsible\" thing to do. I am still a ways from being at \"peace,\" but am feeling like I am moving in that direction. The Radiology Oncologist is also being patient with me about timing and isn\'t pushing that I make a decision until I am okay with it. I truly am feeling the compassion and caring from her and her staff--that is a huge comfort!
So Louise, I am so with you on your fears and anxieties. Keep seeking out more info. Some factors that have been helpful for me is learning that great advances have been made in targeting the potential malignant cell areas and staying away as much as possible from healthy body parts. Find a Radiologist Oncologist who you feel confident in and is listening to your fears. I am with you Louise--I know we will work this through!
Posted By : Sandra
Posted On : May 07 , 2008
Gee--on the status of my story it states \"cancer survivor\". I\'m not there yet but I\'m trying!
I\'m 45 and have had pap tests yearly since 15. Five years ago ONE pap came back abnormal--3 more were done every 3 months and all fine. Told to come back in a year. The next five years--fine pap tests. Went in March 07--fine test. Decided to go in ONE month earlier (I had a new insurance carrier so I COULD go in earlier)in Feb 08. Abnormal pap smear. OOOOH. Got back in 3 weeks later (I don\'t work & still did not manage to snag an appt) for colposcopy. SHE took 4 cuts (9 a.m.,12p.m.,3 p.m., 6 p.m. and a endocervical curettage).
ONE WEEK LATER INVASIVE CERVICAL CANCER STAGE 1B.wHAT?
The really scary part is 3 cuts and the curettage were high grade only. The oncologist tells me that if the DOC made a cut at the 7 p.m. location of the cervix it may not have been caught for another year but would have been clearly stage 3 by then. WHAT?
LADIES--WE must do something about this. What kind of test is this? In 2008 can\'t we find something better than \"iffy\"? Does everyone here REALIZE this is the first and ONLY test and has been around since the cave men. I know we are all hurting. I had a radical hysterectomy, lymph node removal and ovary removal one week ago. That sure isn\'t any bowl of cherries.I don\'t know about the biopsy or further treatment yet. I do know the lymph nodes were \"suspicious\". THIS test is not not acceptable for you OR my 2 daughters. Lets get mad. It is 2008 and if someone can make boobs they have to make a better test than this.
I don\'t know where I\'m at with cancer buy I do have a big mouth and will speak to anyone.I bet I\'ve asked 250 women when there last paps were---gee, those responses are quite scary.I\'m also passing out these lovely plastic bracelets from this site--it is worth $1 to me if some gall will wear it and make her appt.
Posted By : Keri
Posted On : May 05 , 2008
Hi I am Keri, 28 years young. While I was younger I never seemed to have a normal period - always heavy and very painful. There would be days I would be bent over in pain. In my 20\'s I began to spot irregularly and no doctor could seem to figure it out. About a year ago I had a pap come back in results of abnormal cells - after that the procedure that was said to be painless...totally not hearing a snipping sound as pieces of your body were removed was gut wrenching. Results came back that I needed a Leep to remove all abnormal cells. Recovery was quick but I proceeded with caution. I went back as scheduled for my paps every 3 months - my doctor told me that after 3 consecutive tests come back negative I can come back in a year!! Wow I though a Year!! The first 2 can back perfect! But then to my surprise I found out I was pregnant - my worries seemed to all disappear...What was I thinking! My doctor did a pap the other day and now the abnormal cells are back. I am left totally speechless. Now I can terminate the pregnancy and treat my body or I can wait another 6 1/2 months to have the baby and hope the cells have not taken over. What a mess! Life doesn\'t seem fair; it just doesn\'t...more posts to follow.
Posted By : Debbie
Posted On : May 04 , 2008
Hi my name is Debbie ,My nightmare started on February 28th 2008.I carried my 26 yr old daughter Brandy to the ER with severe stomach cramps and heavy bleeding,the DR did a female exam on her and he said something wasnt right never having a clue this DR was fixing to shatter my world along with my daughters,he sent her for an MRI and he did a pap smear as well after he did his part he sent my daughter straight to an OBGYN there the DR did some things doing biopsies which caused my daughter very much pain,her sent her home and said he would get back with her when the results came in this was Friday ,he said it will take a few days .On that Tuesday eh called and confirmed the cancer .The following Friday she saw the onocology Dr that swhen he told us she had type 2b cervical I was speechless Brandy cried and I had to fight it back for her . She started her treatments chemo and radiation the first week in March the chemo has really done a number on her she stays sick all the time.The internal implants are awful its like something straight out of the mid evil she was so heart breaking to see and I felt like nothing and a nobody ,mothers protect there babies but this was one time I was helpless all I could do is hold her hand and reassure her that I loved her dearly.The DR seems to think she can make a full recovery I just pray she does and some of the stories Ive read on here are very positive and makes things look brighter .I need your prayers for my daughter I will keep you posted in the days to come ,she will go back in the hospital May 5th 2008 Thank You
Posted By : Julianna
Posted On : May 03 , 2008
About a month ago I went in for a regularly scheduled pap test. I thought there would be no problem because there had never been any concern in the past. A few days later the nurse called me back and told me I had an a-typical pap and the sample would need to be tested for HPV. Already, I was floored. I couldn\'t belive that there was even a possibility that I might have HPV. I got a call a few days later from my doctor and he told me to confirm that the labresults showed I have HPV and I would need to come in for a colposcopy. I went in the next week and that was a little uncomfortable. I felt pinching and did not like that at all. It is funny looking back that my doctor told me I wasn\'t allowed to have sex for a week and I was sooooo upset because my boyfriend lives out of town and we were planning to see eachother that weekend... ha ha... It has been over a month since we\'ve been together and it will be another few weeks until we will be able to. Anyways, after the colposcopy my results came back and of the three tissue samples taken, one had mild and another had severe dysplasia. I was thrown for another loop. I just couldn\'t imagine how things could get so bad so fast. So, a couple days ago I had a shallow cone biopsy. The recovery time was short, just a day, and I am glad to know something is being done to slow the spreak of the pre cancerous cells. I still have fears that I will have difficulty conceiving or that I will get the results back from the cone biopsy and have cervical cancer. I just don\'t know how much more of this I can take. I feel like I have tried to do all the right things all along and then this just hit me like a ton of bricks. But, you wouldn\'t know it if you spoke with me. I just go about my day and act like everything is all right but it is exhausting having to worry about these things. How does everyone cope with that? Also, I have been told that some research shows that the guardasil shot may be helpful in preventing the spread of precancerous cells. Is that true? Is there any research that supports that? Ok, that\'s all for me now. I will have to wait until I get my test results back on Tuesday, fingers crossed, hopefully the margins are clear...Thanks to everyone for posting their stories. They have given me a lot of piece of mind.
Posted By : louise
Posted On : May 03 , 2008
Hi so far I am a cancer survivor.
This message is back to Jessie and Caryn
You both seem to have almost identical to mine.
I am 2 days away for my extra \"insurance\" radiation therapy. I am so afraid of the short and long term side effects.
I have an unusual story concerning my diagnosis. I\'m not sure why, but I went straight from my general practitioner who biopsied what turned out to be a stage IB1 adenocarcenoma in Dec. Then I was \"ok to go on vacation because I would not get an appointment until after the holidays at the specialist\"
So I looked on the internet and found a great specialist who I liked and he assumed I had an endometrial cancer and it is strange but he told me I could probably go on vacation for 3 weeks and still be ok. ( he sent me for and MRI which showed nothing) My cancer was microscopic at this time aprox 4mmx14mm - we know this because of the hystorectomy- he did not do a radical because he took biopsies during surgery of the cervix that were negative and did not want to give me lymphadema. Believe me- I did get 3 opinions and all of the specialists and former patients agree that this doctor was good. Anyway, I did do research, but was and still am struck by panic and fear. I have seen 4 specialists at UCLA and 1 at Cedars and have been advised to have the radiation. 1 specialist recommended Chemotherapy also, but I consulted the chemo doctor and he said there were no studies saying that cisplatin did or didn\'t work on the adenos- it for sure helps the xrays fight squamous cell carcinomas. Anyway this whole story is making me nervous and sick and mentally ill. I\'m glad to read some of your stories. It sound like Caryn didn\'t have the chemo--- and is doing ok. I am looking for some hope after radiation. My UCLA gynonc did not want to over treat me with the radiation since we don\'t think cancer is in the lymph nodes- CT scan was negative but there still could be cells. All of the doctors think I will survive this. So that is good. But will I survive the treatments and the should have seen a doctor sooners- in my own mind. From some of these stories-- it looks like sometimes the doctors don\'t always help right away either.
Depressed- please help me louise-
I\'m honestly thinking about not doing treatments- but I don\'t want to risk getting cancer back!!!
Posted By : Debbie
Posted On : May 02 , 2008
My daughter Brandy who is 26yrs.old was diagnosed with type 2b cervical cancer in February 2008.She is currently undergoing radiation and chemo.She has had one hospital stay with the internal radiation which was a total nightmare not only for her but myself as well ,she will have her second one May 5th.She has a wonderful Dr and with her on our side I feel positive we will beat this cancer. She is being treated at the Gibbs Cancer in Spartanburg SC and her Dr is Dr Griffin,thse people have made all the difference in the world to Brandy as well as her family ,they are kind caring and loving people . This has been a long road one in which I hope I never have to repeat with one of my children.The cancer is not only hard on the patient its hard on the family ,this really breaks my heart and there have been times and still are times Im not sure if I will get through this ,mothers are suppose to keep there children safe from harm but this is one time I am helpless I feel I have let her down and thats an awful feeling for a mother to feel .
Posted By : Wendy
Posted On : May 01 , 2008
I have sat here reading some of the stories here and I decided that it was time to tell mine because I need help. At 17 years old I got pregnant and gave up my son, because my mother told me it was the best choice for me. I am sure that she meant it at the time. But in Oct 2004 I found out that I had stage 1B invasive cervical cancer. It all happened so fast, one minute I was a healthy fun-loving 26 year old and the next a cancer patient. My doctor told me that the only treatment that would work was a radical hysterectomy. I was devastated and didn\'t know what to do. I went through with the surgery and I have been cancer free ever since. But there is still a part of me that feels like its dying. Now here it is 2008 and everyone I know is having babies and I can\'t even be around them. I love kids and I love my friends and family but I am struggling to find my happy thoughts through it all. Whats worse is that now my mother is mad at me because I can\'t find the strength to be happy for my brother and his girlfriend who are now expecting their first kid. Its like she just doesn\'t get it. I am turning to the people that might understand with hopes that someone out there might know how I am feeling and tell me some ways to deal with this and possibly help me overcome this.
Posted By : Sharon
Posted On : Apr 28 , 2008
There are HAPPY ending. Our second daughter was born in August 1976. After six weeks I returned to my OB GYN for a check up. Everything was fine. In December, I was diagnosed with stage 1B1 cervical cancer, after developing bleeding after intercourse. January 10, 1977 (my sister\'s birthday) I had surgery. The removal of all but the ovaries was done. No chemotherapy or radiation had to be done. The cancer was in it\'s very early stage. I was told that it could have taken another 5-6 years before it would have shown up in a pap test. I now have been 31 years cancer free. Have seen the birth of 4 beautiful grandchildren, and will celebrate a 36 year anniversary in June. I pray for all who have, or are still going through the healing of cervical cancer surgery. You too shall have a HAPPY ending.
Posted By : Jodi
Posted On : Apr 28 , 2008
Hi Diane: I am 30 and was diagnosed last month with adenocarcinoma. Until February of this year, I had always had normal paps with the exception of about 5-6 years ago when I had 2 abnormals. I had colposcopies each time, but the doctor did NOT do any biopsies b/c everything looked normal. Subsequently, my normal paps confirmed that I was fine (or so I was told). Obviously this was not the case and I was suddenly diagnosed with invasive cancer. If I could go back....I would insist that the doctor biopsy a couple of areas during my colps five years ago as a precaution. It turns out that adenocarcinoma is more difficult to diagnose through paps and is more agressive. Perhaps if pre-cancerous cells were detected back then, I would not be looking at a hysterectomy now (I have no kids). I wish I would have had this site then...I just had no idea about the reality that paps are not perfect and cancer can appear without abnormal changes and in younger people. I too had complained for 2 years about bleeding mid-cycle. I was told it was probably due to long-term use of birth control pills. While I can\'t be sure that a drop in progesterone mid-cycle wasn\'t to blame, I can say that youth and the appearance of health is no excuse to assume everything is OK. If you would like more advice and resources, I suggest you join www.inspire.com. The cervical cancer group is great and can be a lot of help. I hope you are OK, but in any case you are doing the right thing by educating yourself first. God Bless.
