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 : Robbie, Sumiton, AL
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 4, 2005
I found out on March 28, 2005 that I have carcinoma in situ. My story goes- I have been having trouble for about 3 years (Pain& bleeding during inter-coarse, heavy periods, and bad discharge) I did not have any health insurance (long story). I'm 31 years old and I have 3 kids (11,7,&4) I was so busy taking care of my kids that I did not take care of myself (wont happen again). I had a cold knife cone biopsy done on March 16th- did not get my results in until March 28th (to long) Anyway my doctor said that the lesion was so big that he got all he could but left a little and he also mentioned that my glands in my uterus showed some pre-cancer cells. So on May 4, 2005 I'm scheduled to have a vaginal hysterectomy. PLEASE DO YOUR PAP EVERY YEAR!!!
Posted By : Stephanie, Auburn, ME
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 6, 2005
I am a cancer survivor! It all started after the birth of my second child when I was 28 years old. I went to my ob/gyn for my 3 month check after giving birth. That was in March of 2002, those results came back abnormal. I had never had an abnormal pap and have always gone yearly. My doctor was sure it was just from the delivery but wanted to do a repeat pap in 3 months. So in June 2002, I went for another pap which again came back abnormal. Still convinced it was not anything serious but wanting to be cautious, my doctor performed a colposcopy in August 2002 (shortly after my 29th birthday). One week later he called me in for the results... stage 1a adenocarcinoma cervical cancer. I was shocked and devasted but tried to focus on the fact that it was detected early and that I had a lot to fight for! I was referred to a oncologist who explained my options. Either radiation & chemotherapy or a radical hysterectomy. After discussing it with my husband, we decided to have the hysterectomy. We had two Beautiful children and I couldn't take any chances of not being there to see them grow up. For some reason, I felt better about having the cancer removed. I had my surgery on August 21, 2002. I had a complete hysterectomy even my ovaries were removed. A few weeks later on a follow up visit, I was discouraged to learn some cancer cells were detected in on one of the lymph nodes. Just when I thought it was over! I completed 25 external radiation treatments and 5 chemo treatments. My doctor felt confident that everything had been removed but did not want to take any chances! The radiation and chemo treatments were worse than the surgery in terms of how you feel. I knew that I could not take any chances for my children or my husband. Needless to say, this August will be three years cancer free! I go to the doctor every four months now for a pap and have not had any problems. I feel great! If you get diagnosed with cervical cancer be vigilant and you can beat it!
Posted By : Amanda,
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 11, 2005
Hi, my name is Amanda. I am 30 years old. I went in for my annual physical and had an abnormal papsmear. Went in last Thursday for a
colposcopy. My doctor explained the procedure which I had done my research - I knew we were looking for white patches which indicated abnormal cells. When he barely touched my cervix with the solution it began to bleed. He seemed to be concerned at the sensitivity of my cervix. Then my entire cervix turned white. The only pink was at the very top of my cervix and was only a thin line. He seemed very concerned and done a biopsy. When I questioned him - he just kept telling me not to jump to conclusions until we knew exactly what we were dealing with. I am just so worried because my whole cervix turned white!!! My doctor also made the comment that it was unbelievable that I have never had an abnormal pap in the past!! I am supposed to check with them this Tuesday to see if they have the results. Please pray for me and someone has a similiar story please let me know!! Thank you for your concern!
Posted By : Aidan, Dublin, Ireland
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
Dec. 17, 2005
I just want to encourage all of you in your fight against cancer – I lost my 26 year old fiancé to cancer 3 years ago. Stay strong and don't blame yourself for your illness - don't feel guilty when your tired or down. Just look after yourselves, be hopeful (it's okay if you have your bad days). Medicine and love will pull you through.
Dublin, Ireland
Posted By : Charvene
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 18, 2005
I was complaining to my GYN for over a year about excessive bleeding during my menstrual and pain during sex. He did my pap smear and ultrasound but nothing more. I felt there could be more done so I found another doctor, who diagnosed me within 6 months of seeing her. I was diagnosed with the 3rd stage of cervical cancer on August 14, 2002 at the age of 27. I had no children. My oncologist thought my best option was to have a hysterectomy. I cried my heart out because I knew I wanted to have children in the future, but I also wanted to live a long life. On October 1, 2002 I had my surgery. It was a long, painful journey afterwards, both physically and emotionally, but with lots of prayer I was able to make it through. I still second guess my decision. I believe EVERYTHING, as sad as it may seem, happens for a reason. I still yearn to have children, but I thank God for sparing my life. Here I am now 2 years and 8 months cancer free. Please ladies value your bodies and get as many opinions as possible and do your research. God bless!!
Posted By : Terri, Santa Fe, NM
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 19, 2005
For the past 2 years I have been experiencing irregular bleeding through blood clots, no periods for 5 months, or irregular bleeding with periods and intercourse. I have had consistent annual exams, paps, and ultrasounds which showed nothing. After switching to the birth control patch last June my menstrual cycles never regulated. Because I did not receive a clear cut explanation for the irregular bleeding and I was not satisfied when told "Don't worry about it- your body is changing with age"... I returned to a new gynecologist and I demanded they take biopsies so that I could rule out cancer. Upon examination, my doctor felt a mass and immediately scheduled an appointment for biopsies. On December 28, 2005 my husband and I were informed that all eight biopsies in the cervix and uterus came back as cancer--and the vaginal biopsies showed precancerous cells. The next day I saw an oncologist who diagnosed me with Stage 2B cervical cancer which I found has a 60% 5 year survival rate. The tumor was 7 to 8 cm in size and may have extended into the vagina and the interstitial walls. The following day they did exploratory surgery and found that the cancer was contained in the cervix and uterus-- which could lessen my stage to a 1B2 and increase my 5 year chance of survival to 90%. We were so relieved. My oncologist advised, however, that we could not be sure about the staging due to possible scar tissue outside of the uterus; so he left my staging in the range of 1B2 to 2B. I had a PETscan the following week which did not show metastasis outside of the uterus. A chest port was installed that following week prior to my first chemotherapy that I received on January 11, 2005. I highly recommend anyone undergoing chemo to get a chest port (not an arm port). Both chemo administration and blood work can be given or taken from the port which prevents your veins from collapsing. I use Lidocaine to deaden the skin prior to access and I feel no pain whatsoever- just pressure. My chemo regime started with Cisplatin/Gemzar on day 1 followed by Gemzar on the 8th day of the round for 3 rounds. My biggest side effects are nausea and vomiting, severe headaches, and fatigue. My nausea was so bad at one point that I could not keep water or medications down for 8 days straight and I lost 14 pounds within a week. I have lost most of my hair and the sores from my scalp have moved down onto my forehead. During my last chemo my nurses tried a new anti-nausea medication called Aloxi. It relieved my symptoms for almost 3 days! Last week I had an MRI to determine the size of the tumor and if surgery (radical hysterectomy and lymphectomies of both the pelvic and groin) was feasible. The MRI was a horrible experience; I will not undergo another one without prior sedation. The MRI showed no metastasis; but, the oncologist advised us at that point that both scans are unable to detect masses less than 1 cm in size. This was a shock to us because over the past three months we were of the mindset that this cancer was definitely contained in the uterus, and this was not necessarily so. We have learned over the past four months that nothing is of certainty during cancer treatment. Western medicine is not advanced enough to predict what is really going on in our bodies until the organs are removed and a lab studies it microscopically. Because of this, my husband and I made the decision to continue chemotherapy for an additonal 3 rounds before going ahead with radiation, surgery and more chemo. Initially, my oncologist was pushing for radiation/surgery because the tumor had responded so well to chemo and had shrank the tumor from 7cm to 4cm- making surgery feasible. He changed his mind and agreed that additional chemo would be more advantageous as it would shrink the tumor more and it might kill any unforeseen cancer elsewhere and reduce complications for future radiation. I start chemo again this Friday, April 22nd. After completing chemo, I will probably undergo external and/or internal radiation followed by surgery and additional chemo depending on the surgery results. This progressive treatment is known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It is not very common in the United States, but- is practiced throughout Europe and it is said to reduce cancer recurrence rates. I had concerns and questions about removing the lymphnodes which may cause serious life changes later on through lymphedema in both legs and constant struggles to avoid infection. I was concerned how it might affect my work; but, faced with life's uncertainty-- I am confident dealing with those issues and increasing my chances to be there for my family in the long run is more important. I have three kids (4, 5, and 13) who are dealing with this quite well. My husband has struggled with it more than myself; I continue to stay positive through prayer and support of family and friends. At 36, I never thought that this would happen to me; at least, not this early on in my life. It has truly been a wake-up call and has forced me to realize the stresses we focus on in our lives with work, etc... just aren't that important anymore. I'm focusing on the here and now and constantly trying not to worry what may or may not happen in the future. I am dealing with each issue as it arises. I'm just starting my journey through cancer and I am ready to be in it for the long haul. Please encourage the women you know to get their annual exams and to not settle for unexplained symptoms from doctors. Find a physician who is knowledgable in the latest treatments and clinical trials and is willing to offer you whatever you need to fight this. Depend on family and friends to be there for you; they feel it an honor to be asked for help. Stay strong... and good luck in your journey. God Bless.
Posted By : Samantha
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 21,
December of 2004, when my youngest of 3 kids was 6 months old, My doctor performed a leep procedure. I had discovered that I had dysplisa in 2001. After 3 years they finally performed a leep. When the results came in I found out that I had cervical cancer. It had just turned into cancer with in the last month or two. I have been a servivor for almost 6 months now. Thank you for all of my family standing by me and being there when I needed it.
Posted By : Veronica, Angleton, TX
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 22, 2005
I am 31 yrs old with 3 beautiful children. I had a pre-cancerous
pituitary tumor and a thymoma removed three years ago. I have started to show signs of pit tumor return, MRI shows positive. After steroid use growth shrunk. My previous ob/gyn told me that b/c I have had a complete hysterectomy 6 yrs ago I would not need to have pap. With the new pit tumor I started seeing a whold list of new docs. New ob/gyn did pap, found A-typical squamous cells. hhhmmm I didnt now that I could still get cancer, but they are investigating this with colposcopy and biopsy. Can anyone help me with this conundrum? I am not sure about what it all means.
Posted By : Angel, Lake Wales, Fl
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 25, 2005
My story goes... I had a child in June 2003. After his birth, I had a discharge that never went away, more of a nuisance than anything else.
I had an abnormal pap in July 2003, again in Jan 2004. In March I went to the doctor and complained of pain in my vagina and a sore cervix as well as the discharge. The ob/gyn tested me for chlamydia and other sexually transmitted diseases which I knew I didn't have and upon getting the results declared it to be vaginosis. Again in July 2004 when I went for another pap smear, I complained of the same symptoms, again he tested me for STDs and again, they were negative and again I was declared to have vaginosis. This July 2004 pap smear came back NEGATIVE!! And the tests for HPV came back NEGATIVE!! Of course I felt I couln't possibly have cervical cancer with these results and let it go. This was the doctor that delivered my baby, not my regular ob/gyn who is in the same office. I was told I didn't have to return for another pap smear for another year since the previous pap and HPV tests were negative. March 5th 2005, I was fed up with the horrible discharge and painful sex in which I bled afterwards. I went to my original ob/gyn for a second opinion and upon insertion of the speculum, he could see the cancer and did a biopsy. The following Tuesday I went to a doctor at MD Anderson Cancer Center in HOUSTON, Tx where I was staged with Ib1 cervical cancer. On March 28 2005 I underwent a radical hysterectomy. The doctor spoke with my family after the surgery and assured them she had gotten 100% of the cancer, yeah! WEll, not exactly. After being released from the hospital, I saw the doctor for my follow up and she said the pathology reports showed microscopic cancer cells in one of my right lymph nodes that had been removed. This means I will start Chemo and radiation when my surgery is healed. I don't know what to expect and am horrified at the thought of the cancer returning in the future, from what I have heard reoccurence most certainly means death with this cancer. I tell my story because if there is anyone out there with these symptoms, don't give up! Insist on a biopsy, do everything you can do to be proactive in your own treatment. Pap smears or notorious for being WRONG... Good luck to all.
Posted By : Sherri, Wichita Falls, TX
Posted On : Sep 04 , 2005
April 27, 2005
I WENT FOR A ROUTINE PAP IN APRIL OF 2003, YES, I WAS NEGLEGENT IN GOING FOR MY FOLLOW UP AND WAITED FOR FIVE YEARS, BECAUSE I WASN'T HAVING ANY PROBLEMS. UNTIL I BEGAN TO HAVE HEAVY CLOTTING IN APRIL. I GOT THE NEWS A FEW DAYS LATER OF INVASIVE SMALL CELL CARCINOMA OF THE CERVIX. I SAW AN GYN./ONCOLOGIST IN BEDFORD TX. THE NEXT WEEK AND HAD RADICAL HYST.WITH LYMPHNODE DISECTION THE FOLLOWING WEEK. ABOUT A MONTH LATER I STARTED RADIATION EVERY DAY FOR FIVE WEEKS AND LOW DOSE CHEMO ONCE A WEEK. I FELT PRETTY GOOD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TREATMENT I CONTINUED TO WORK FULL TIME AND LIVED ON IMMODIUM AS EVERYONE CAN RELATE. BUT THAT WAS THE ON IMMEDIATE SIDE EFFECT THAT I EXPERIENCED. NOW WE JUMP AHEAD TO THE PRESENT AND THE DELAYED SIDE EFFECTS FROM RADIATION ARE OCCURRING. IN NOV. 04 I BEGAN TO DEVELOPE RT. GROIN PAIN AND PAIN IN MY LOW BACK. I WENT FOR AN MRI THINKING I HAD A PINCHED NERVE FROM MOVING MY DAUGHTER WEEKS BEFORE. WELL TO MY SURPRISE IT SHOWED A MUCH MORE SEVERE SITUATION. MY RT. KIDNEY WAS ENLARGED 4 TIMES THE SIZE OF MY LEFT. I THEN SAW A UROLOGIST THE SAME DAY AND HAD A CT WHICH SHOW A RT. URETER STRICTURE RESULTING FROM SCAR TISSUE IN AND AROUD THE URETER. THE DOCTOR WAS ABLE TO PLACE A STENT AND DRAIN THE KIDNEY, WHICH SAVE MY KIDNEY. WELL THAT WAS OVER! I CONTINUED TO HAVE INCREASING PAIN TO MY RT. GROIN WHICH WAS UNEXPLAINED, I WENT THROUGH NERVE TESTING WHICH SHOWED ALL NORMAL , YET SYMPTOMS PERSISTED. BY THE END OF FEB.04 MY RT. LEG BEGAN TO SWELL AND DISCOLOR. I GAINED OVER 17 LBS. OF FLUID IN A WEEKS TIME , DIURETICS DID NOTHING TO RELEASE FLUID. I WAS THEN SEEN BY A CARDIOLOGIST AND SENT FOR A VENOUS DOPPLER AND VENOGRAM. THIS FINALLY ANSWER THE PROBLEM. I HAD A 95% OCCLUSSION OF THE RT. ILIAC VEIN AND WENT TO CATH. LABS AND HAD A STENT PLACE. WELL NOW I HAVE A STENT HERE AND A STENT THERE. I'M FEELING BETTER BUT I'M LEFT WONDERING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS! IF ANYONE HAS EXPERIENCED ANY OF MY SAME SIDE EFFECTS . THANKS FOR LISTENING. I DO HAVE A GREAT HUSBAND OF 21 YRS. AND LOVING KIDS AND FAMILY AND COULDN'T GOT THROUGH THIS WIHTOUT THEM.
