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By Lisa Gaskin
My cervical cancer journey began in late July 2001, when after 11 years of marriage, at the age of 34, I got expecting by accident. I state “by accident” since we were “waiting to be economically secure.” In hindsight I now recognize unless you hit the lottery a lot of typical people are never truly economically secure!
I went to my Ob/Gyn for my preliminary pregnancy see as well as they did a routine Pap. I had no hint what HPV was, let alone that my life was about to change.
A few days later the physician called to state she needed to see me, my Pap came back abnormal (ASCUS), they needed to do one more test as well as there was a danger of miscarriage connected with it. She complied with up with “Oh as well as by the method you have an STD, it’s called HPV as well as 80% of women today are walking around with it.” My jaw was on the floor as well as I was mortified beyond words. Me? A STD? WHAT?
I left the office in shock. I drove house trying to compose myself to ensure that I might figure out exactly how to tell my husband. Mind you, I still had no concept I had cancer.
Mid-November, I got the very first offered visit with a physician who was ready to do the risky colposcopy (ah! it had a name now) on a expecting lady as well as we made the visit for December 12, 2001.
I shown up armed with the words my Ob/Gyn said, “It is just a test to see your cervix, there won’t be a biopsy, you are fine, don’t worry.” The physician came in with a nurse as well as explained the procedure as well as the side impacts as well as what to enjoy for as far as issues considering that I was pregnant. She likewise joked that I shouldn’t be there just for ASCUS, as well as stated considering that I appeared like a deer trapped in headlights that the nurse might stand up by my shoulders as well as hold my hand to calm me down if that would help. As soon as she got the speculum in as well as swabbed the acid option around she looked at the nurse as well as stated to both of us at the exact same time that she needed the nurse down with her. I got a bit panicked. The nurse went down with the physician as well as the physician asked if the nurse might see what she was checking out as well as the nurse stated yes. The next thing I understood the physician had taken a biopsy as well as I understood ideal then as well as there I had cancer. She stated the results would be back in about a week as well as her office would phone call me.
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On December 26, 2001 I got a phone call from the physician who told me that I had cancer as well as that she wished to see me as soon as possible. My other half as well as I went to see her as well as she painted a horrible picture. I had the rarer of the two type of cervical cancer you can have. We thanked her extremely much for her time as well as we left. We called everybody we understood as well as networked for a physician who might do a second opinion.
After a second viewpoint at Memorial Sloan Kettering, we ended up at NYU. The physician there did one more colposcopy as well as told us that the pregnancy saved my life. He stated the cancer was so far imbedded in my cervix that by the time they would have discovered it I would have been stage IV. He told us he would try to get me to 34 weeks, at which point the perinatologist would do a c-section as well as he would promptly comply with with a radical hysterectomy.
I had an amnio ideal before my kid was born to see if his lungs might manage being born early. My kid grabbed the needle as it went into my stomach. The physician might not believe her eyes as she enjoyed him do it. The fluid they took out suggested that his lungs might manage it.
March 13, 2002 — D-day or must I state C-day? At 9:36 am, my beautiful, redheaded, miracle infant kid was provided by c-section as well as my radical hysterectomy began. I was awake for all five hours of surgical treatment under an epidural only. I laughed as well as joked while they were cutting, “I want to see my uterus” I said. “Can you do stomach tuck while you are down there?” I asked. They laughed as well as provided me a lot more drugs; I woke up in the healing room, uterus gone however ovaries intact.
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Fast ahead 9 days. My kid as well as I are home. My mommy is with us. I am in the rocker breastfeeding as well as the phone rings. She answers it — my biopsy results: vaginal margins clear, lymph nodes clear, cancer free, no additionally treatment. I cry silent tears of happiness as well as I shake. Oprah phone calls it “the awful cry.” My mom tells the nurse she needs to hang up since her grandson is now having a milkshake since I am crying as well as shaking so hard.
In may 2007, I got the results from my 5-year inspect up. I was fine. We named our kid “Matthew” — it indicates “Gift from God” — indeed indeed!
Eight years later, I am, knock on wood, still cancer complimentary with a terrific miracle son. I still wait on the other shoe to drop, as a lot of cancer individuals I have satisfied told me they do as well, however I don’t let it get in the method of living my life to its absolute fullest.
After my kid was born I discovered terrific support on the internet from a lady named Tamika Felder who produced Tamika & good friends after her own battle with cervical cancer. Although I didn’t satisfy her up until after my cancer ordeal she has ended up being a good friend I can turn to no matter what.
On September 25, 2010 I will be taking part in the walk to beat the Clock event that Tamika & good friends sponsors in NYC. Come join us to assist raise understanding as well as funds to end this horrible disease. For a lot more information, see www.WalkToBeatTheClock.org — if you are not able to go to the Walk, you can still support Tamika & good friends with a donation.
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About LisaLisa Gaskin holds a Bachelor of science in elementary education from speed university as well as a Master of science in elementary education from long Island University. She has previously been the director of Admissions at long Island University’s Westchester school at Dobbs Ferry, the Registrar for the Scarsdale adult institution as well as the director of the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce. She currently resides in Milford, CT as well as is the pleased mom to kid Matthew, 8.
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