My Story

I sought medical attention because I was having persistent pelvic pain. I had other symptoms of cervical cancer, but at the time I knew nothing about cervical cancer, and I chalked those up to just being normal. I saw more doctors than I can count. I had two colonoscopies and an endoscopy. I had ultrasounds and CT scans. I spent a good deal of time in the ER – it practically became my second home. One ER doctor told me I had HPV, and that I needed to follow up with my gynecologist. I was still seeing the OB/Gyn who delivered my son, so I went to see her. She did a pelvic exam only, and told me that there was no way I had HPV. So I went on my way. At one point, my primary care physician told me that she thought this was all in my head.

Finally, I decided to go seen a new gynecologist. I was overdue for my well woman checkup, since my previous gynecologist had only done a pelvic exam. We talked about the pain, and she didn’t seem too concerned. I left her office thinking it was just another dead end.

About a week after my appointment, I started getting calls from my gynecologist’s office. I didn’t answer, and they didn’t leave a message. I assumed it was just a nurse calling to say all results are normal. I had never had an abnormal Pap smear, and just recently my old gynecologist told me I was HPV negative and just fine.

Finally, on the third call, I answered. It was indeed a nurse, but what she said was not at all what I was expecting: “You have adenocarcinoma. That’s cervical cancer. You need to come by the office and pick up all the lab results, and make an appointment with a gynecologic oncologist as soon as possible.”

I hung up the phone in tears. I went and got my husband, and somehow managed to blurt out what the nurse had told me. He drove me to my gynecologist’s office, and we picked up the paperwork, along with a recommendation for a Gyn oncologist. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I was 34 years old, way too young for cancer.

I called to make an appointment with Dr. L, the oncologist. He was out of town, and wouldn’t be able to see me for two weeks. We had been planning a trip to the Bahamas the next week, and now the question was should we go or not? Ultimately, we decided to go, since I couldn’t see him until after we got back, and I didn’t want to disappoint our boys.

I spent the time leading up to the appointment completely numb. I knew I had cancer, but I had no idea how advanced it was, or what my treatment options were. I barely spoke to anyone.

When I saw Dr. L for the first time, he did a pelvic exam. Based on what he saw, he said it might be pre cancer, or 1a at the most. He scheduled me for a cone biopsy, which is where they cut out part of your cervix. If they get clean margins, meaning the cancer is contained in the part they cut out, then no further treatment would be needed. I did not have clean margins. The tumor was deeper inside my cervix than he had originally thought. At this point, he restaged me to 1b1.

Dr. L gave me two options for treatment. We could try chemo and radiation, and see if that would take care of the cancer. One of the side effects of radiation, especially brachytherapy, where radiation is done inside the vagina, is winding up with what he referred to as a “short, stiff vagina.” The other option was a radical hysterectomy. Since we were not planning on having any more children, I opted for the hysterectomy.

On June 16, 2014, I had surgery. Dr. L removed my cervix, took sections from my vaginal wall, removed my uterus, and tendons and ligaments that held the uterus in place, as well as 26 lymph nodes. He left my ovaries so that I wouldn’t go into early menopause. When he came out to talk to my family, he assured them that he got it all and I would be just fine.

My recovery was not easy. I had a hematoma above my vaginal wall, and some blocked lymph nodes. Instead of a 4 to 6 week recovery, I spent that entire summer in bed, in a great deal of pain. But it was all worth it: at my first follow up appointment, Dr. L told me that the pathology reports were back, the cancer had been confined to my cervix, and that I was officially NED (no evidence of disease).

What I want women to know:

• ALWAYS get your well woman checkups on time – it could save your life!
• There is nothing shameful about a diagnosis of either HPV or cervical cancer.
• YOU DID NOT ASK FOR THIS.
• You don’t deserve this.
• If you experience any symptoms, see your gynecologist immediately.
• If you are diagnosed with cervical cancer, please seek treatment immediately.
• Educate yourself to know what to look for.
• Do not be ashamed of your body – every anomaly is there to tell you something is not right.
• And always, ALWAYS remember that you are never alone.

Having cancer changed a lot of things in my life, some good, some bad. Keep reading to find out more!

xoxo Jennie