What Cervical Cancer Has Given to Me

When you think of cancer, what usually comes to mind is being bedridden, wasting away, tremendous pain, and death. I suffered through my cancer diagnosis and treatment. I was bedridden, and in extreme pain. I was terrified, depressed, and anxious.

Surprisingly enough, cancer has given me gifts as well.

• ·      My long-term boyfriend asked me to marry him, partly because of his fear of losing me, and we had a beautiful wedding on a secluded beach in St. Thomas August 7, 2015.
• ·      I have a wonderful family whom I love dearly.
• ·      My son and I are able to talk about sex and STIs without the embarrassment that was there before.
• ·      I have an even closer bond with my mother because we went through cancer together.
• ·      I reconciled with my father after three and a half years of no contact.
• ·      I try not to sweat the small stuff (full disclosure, I am still working on this).
• ·      I look at every day as a gift.
• ·      I have met wonderful friends who have gone through cervical cancer, and really get it.
• ·      I have discovered that I have a passion for advocating for HPV and cervical cancer.
• ·      I love more and deeper than I ever did before.

Would I rather not have had cancer to receive these gifts? Absolutely. But I did have cancer, and I was given these gifts, and I am so grateful for them. So cancer, you still really suck, but I do appreciate the good that you brought into my life.

xoxo Jennie