So, you always hear about people getting various cancers, and still the thought doesn't really cross your mind that you could be the next statistic. Well, I became the next statistic!
In January, I went to visit my new OB/GYN, since I had recently moved to San Diego County. I had already visited my new primary doctor, an eye specialist for my Iritis, and the dentist. Little did I know that the OB/GYN visit would be the start of a unique journey. I say unique, because everybody's Cancer story is different. As I was to find out, mine had some plusses and some minuses.
During my January visit, it was discovered that I had a Cervical polyp and extra thick lining (Endometrial Hyperplasia) in my uterus. A biopsy was done on both. The polyp came back o.k., but the other was inconclusive. This put me on a five week waiting period before I could get in for a D&C and Hysteroscopy where they could further evaluate things. I tried to go on living as normally as possible. Mitch and I went out to lunch one day and stopped at a beach. I found some cool rocks and decided to decorate them. I put positive vibes on those rocks!
 |
| May we all have these! |
And then the results came back.
I remember it clearly. It was a little after nine a.m on February 15th. And at 9:29 I heard the dreaded words, "You have Cancer!" And then it went a bit fuzzy. Mitch was out on the golf course and five calls later, he called back. In the meantime I had already called my twin. This news just has to be shared!
And so that was that. I had Cancer of the Endometrium,
Adenocarcinoma. It was real. It was already appearing on my "On Going Health Issues" on my on-line account. They certainly do update fast!
I took some time to digest this news, and then it was on to Internet searches to be educated. I learned that Peach is the color of Uterine Cancer. Actually, I learned what all the different ribbons mean!
I don't really care so much about the ribbon colors. I think this:
On February 20th I had my appointment with the Oncologist OB/GYN. I was told that if you are to get cancer, this is the one to get as it is usually quite treatable. My new mantra became, "One and Done!" I wanted only one cancer, and one surgery with no need for Chemo or Radiation. My Hysterectomy was scheduled for March 9th.
Oh but wait, this is where things became even more interesting! My tumor from the D&C showed that I had a mutation in one of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes. Mine was the PMS2 gene. It is possible for a cancer tumor to be messed up, without your entire DNA being that way, so it was off to genetic testing for me.
On 2/27/18 I went for genetic counseling and then took the blood test. Results would come back in approximately three weeks.
On 3/9/18 it was "C" Day! Time to get the cancer out of my body. With improvements in technology, I was able to have a Da Vinci Robot assisted hysterectomy on an outpatient basis. My surgery was from 12-2, and I left the hospital around 5:30.
 |
| It's amazing how a Da Vinci Robot works! |
My only bad side affect was throwing up later that evening from the anaesthetic. I never needed the 30 tablets of Narcotics that were precscribed. I simply took Ibuprofen for a few days. It's amazing that the worse bruise on my body is on my hand where they put my IV.
On 3/16/18 I got back my genetic testing results and that is where the plusses and minuses come into play. But, as with most things in life, it is all about how you look at things. I love this image:
The results showed I had Lynch Syndrome. I had never heard of it! So I did Internet searches which enlightened me, but, also scared me. From the reading it appeared I could have as high as 60-80 percent chance of getting Colon Cancer and Uterine Cancer. Oh good, I already got one, now I just need to worry about Colon Cancer and a few others. The good news is that of the five Lynch genes, I had the "best" of the bad! My affected gene is called PMS2 and lowers your risk of Colon and Uterine Cancer to about 15-20%.
So the bad news, I am more prone to Cancer. The good news, I now know this and can get more frequent screenings. It's all about early detection. I will go for annual colonoscopies.
The bad news, I may have passed this on to my kids. The good news, they can get tested to see if they inherited it. If they did they will also get more frequent screenings.
March 20th, at 8 in the morning, I got the call from the surgeon. The cancer had not spread and I am clear to go. No need for radiation or chemo! I can finally breathe a little easier. I took this picture on the day of my initial meeting with the Oncologist. I was rocking my Peach top and doing my best to look positive!
I see the Light! In the picture and also in my future. Nobody ever knows what will happen, so I'm just going to go on living. There will be photos of my cocktails on Facebook! That brings me to another topic. Don't get too hung up on what you see on people's FB pages. They don't display the whole truth of what is going on in a person's life! I chose not to put anything on FB until I knew my outcome. If you go back and look at my posts from January until now, you would think I was just living an ideal life. You would not know that the last two months have been Hell. The worry, the waiting.....
So, I leave you with two bits of wisdom: Please listen to your bodies, and if you suspect something is off, get yourself to the doctor. Early diagnosis is everything. And don't believe everything you see on Social Media platforms. If you want to know what's really up with somebody, reach out and talk directly with them.
A big thanks to all that reached out to me during this difficult time. You will never know how much the cards, text, emails, messenger chats, (and yes, even the gifts) meant to me!
 |
| A great juicer! |
 |
| DIY Plant |
 |
| Healing mug! |
Survivor Sylvia!
