Last Shreds Of Sanity | California Mom Blog » Cervical Cancer

Brandy’s Battle: A Thank You And An Update

Shan — Thu, 20 May 2010 10:02:51 +0000

When I first came up with doing a fundraiser for Brandy, I hoped it would work. I hoped people would donate. I hoped the interwebz would embrace her and this cause and not turn against it as I have seen happen so many times before.

Well, it has far exceeded my expectations. The amount of love and support I have seen poured out for my dear friend has AMAZED me. In less than 24 hours we raised nearly $1000 in cash {All sent directly to Brandy’s PayPal} and gotten so many yeses from companies wanting to donate products and services to this auction it has made my head spin {and my fingers a bit swollen from typing }. I have to give a huge shout out to Leah (BookieBoo) who is a freaking mega rock star when it comes to getting a company’s attention. From her efforts alone, the donations are pouring in! Leah is a true force of nature.

I also need to thank every single person who emailed me to offer a product for the auction, to pitch companies and who brought in amazing items to be auctioned off. All because of our shared love and admiration for one StitchBlade aka Not So Average Mama aka Brandy. This woman is truly amazing. She deserves nothing less than all the love and support that she is receiving now. This blogging community of ours is truly a force in and of itself when we get behind a cause. And what better cause than one benefiting one of our own? I believe that this outpouring of love and support is not just because Brandy is a blogger, but because she is a human being going through something any one of us could be going through right now. The generosity and huge hearts of the people I have come into contact with because I simply wanted to help my friend has me awestruck.

You are, all of you, quite simply, awesome. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

Now for an update on our Brandy…

Yesterday morning, she and her Mom went to Denton Presbyterian Hospital ER to try and get her some real treatment. And aside from Nurse Ratched, the Triage Nurse from Hell, Brandy told me by phone that she has been treated wonderfully. After she was finally called back, she was given an X-Ray and an ultrasound. It seems that Spike {Yes, she named her tumor. Did you expect anything less from her?}, is a big bugger, measuring in at 20 cm X 20 cm X 24 cm {That’s approximately 8 in X 8 in X 9 in, for those who don’t do the metric system}!! He is sort of an oblong volley ball shape and is situated from the top of her uterus to just below her sternum. Of course the doctors will not be able to tell where he originated from until they get in there to cut him out. At that time they will begin the determination of whether or not his nasty butt is cancerous or not. I am happy to report that at 6 am CST, May 20, 2010, his annoying ass will be removed from Brandy’s abdominal cavity!! Yes, she found a hospital that believes that the patients are the priority, not their ability to pay.

I asked her to see if she could get a picture of Spike. She didn’t like that idea. But she did want to put up a poll and have people guess what the weight of her non-pregnancy, non-baby will be. I say 10 lbs. We’ll see if I’m close.

I also had a very interesting chat conversation with Brandy last night after she was admitted and put in a room.

Brandy: She gave me a sleepy pill. I love it. There is weirdness amongst this room

Me: OK what weirdness?

Brandy: I think there are people there that are weird

Me: It happens

Brandy: They are distracting me from my pain

Me: Sucks that you don’t have a private room. Maybe tomorrow after the surgery

Brandy: Oh I have a private room

Me: Hey you can give me stories for The Free Range Stupid: Hospital Edition. ROTFLMAO

You did get a private room? Oh very nice

Brandy: It looks like Vikings

Me: What on the wall?

Brandy: No I seen them, they move fast though

Me: LOL Hunny, I think you might be HIGH. You got good drugs. LMAO

The conversation continued on the phone and she told me that she felt like the Vikings were running behind her head {I doubt she will remember this conversation, but I was laughing so hard, I was crying. I love this girl!}. Yes, my friends, our dear Brandy does not lose her humor even in the face of serious illness. OK, it wasn’t exactly her sense of humor, it was more like she was given some really good drugs in that IV and she was having a visual hallucination from them. BUT the fact that she saw Vikings? Yeah that would only come from Brandy’s mind. I’m telling y’all, this girl is awesome.

We need to get her a Viking helmet now. Anyone know where I can find a cool one?

I am still taking product donations for the auction, so if you have one, think you can get one or just want to help out in some way, please email me. And please continue to spread the word about Brandy’s Battle. You can make a cash donation here and it will go directly into Brandy’s personal PayPal account. Yes, she is getting Spike removed today, but she still has to pay for this and the gynecologist who is performing the surgery said that if this is cancer or if the bugger is more attached than they think, she will need another surgery. This isn’t going to be cheap, kids. Not by a long shot. So my goal is to make her as much money as I possibly can to help defer the cost of her medical care. I am praying for a miracle. I think we might actually get one. I have great faith in the power of prayer and people coming together for a common good.

I would also like to stress that Brandy does not want any media contacted right now. If that decision is ever made, her family will make the call. Please respect her wishes and the privacy of her family.

Brandy’s Battle: A Thank You And An Update is a post from: Last Shreds Of Sanity | Blog Designer | California Mom Blog

Brandy’s Battle: Can You Help?

Shan — Mon, 17 May 2010 23:40:18 +0000

A fellow blogger, Brandy from Not So Average Mama, was just told this past Friday night that she has a mass the size of a volley ball on her left ovary that was probably Ovarian Cancer {She will not know for sure if it is cancer until it is removed and biopsied, but the ER doctor said it’s sheer size indicated Ovarian Cancer}. She is only 35 years old. She also has no health insurance. She needs immediate surgery and a consultation with a gynecological oncologist. But she cannot get any doctor to see her because she doesn’t have insurance. She is scared, in pain and needs to be treated NOW. This should not be. She should be able to just proceed with battling her illness without worrying about money.

I want to help her. I want to be able to scoop her up, put her in my car, take her to a hospital and DEMAND that they treat her and get this thing out of her. But I can’t. I’m two states away.

Therefore, I am going to hold a fundraiser auction here at Last Shreds Of Sanity to try and help defer the costs of her medical care {Auction date to be announced}.

This is Brandy’s Battle.

Here is a little background on Brandy and her medical issues:

Brandy has seen specialist after specialist trying to find out what is really wrong with her. Each specialist sends her to yet another one. It’s frustrating and costing her a ton of money because she does not have health insurance. She has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but that diagnosis did not explain the other strange symptoms she was having, including head jerking, loss of balance, inability to hold a pen and slurred speech. All the specialists so far have been baffled. And two weeks ago, her stomach suddenly swelled up to where she looks 8 months pregnant. This did not happen gradually. One day her belly looked normal, the next, she was all swollen for no apparent reason.

So this past Friday night she went to the ER. She had been in pain, unable to keep food down, vomiting and having trouble breathing. And the belly was getting bigger. At the ER, they ran several blood tests and did a dry Cat Scan {She is allergic to the contrast media normally used to detect blood flow paths}. Imagine her surprise and devastation when she was told that she has a mass the size of a volley ball on her left ovary and it was likely cancerous. They gave her a referral for a gynecological oncologist, then they cut her loose.

YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT. Denton Regional Hospital sent her home without any real treatment. Just a piece of paper with a doctor’s name on it and informational sheets about cancer.

WHY? Because she has no insurance.

Brandy has three beautiful little girls. Her husband owns his own construction business and she works from home as a photographer, graphic designer, blogger and web host. She’s doing what she can. But insurance just isn’t affordable for a family of five when you don’t have a corporation paying part of the premium for you. It sucks. Especially when something like this happens. To date she has bills totaling nearly $12,000. The gynecological oncologist she needs to see in order to be evaluated for the surgery will likely cost around $500 and that has to be paid upfront.

Brandy cannot get any kind of help for the cost of the surgery, she has been denied all state help for her medical expenses. Texas does not have any help for their uninsured residents. She was told that for a family of 5 to qualify for medical assistance, they need to make $700 per month or less!! She needs this mass out of her NOW. It is growing at an alarming rate. The ER doctor also told her that a complete hysterectomy is necessary.

I am scared for her.

The longer she has to wait to get proper treatment, the more time this mass has to grow and cause more problems for her health.

I am asking you to help this amazing person battle this probably cancerous tumor. You can bid on the items we will have in the auction or you can donate directly. Either way, I am asking you to spread the word. And if you want to sponsor this auction or know someone who does, you can contact me here. Just put “Brandy’s Battle” in the subject line.

Our sponsors so far are {I don’t have all the items being donated listed yet, so please forgive me}:

($25 Starbucks gift card)

(Rhinestone t-shirt)

(Avon products & necklaces from Little Dots and Pretty Spots)

(Soy candles from black corse and Vado video camera)

(Amazon Gift Certificates)

(1 Ticket To Bloggers On Bourbon

Hosted by BookieBoo & MomDot.com)

(custom twitter background, retail value $30)

Author Charles J. Orlando, The Problem With Women…Is Men

(3 autographed books)

(Target gift certificate)

(TinkerBell & The Lost Treasure Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack)

(6 months 125 X 125 above the fold ad space on her blog sidebar)

(Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Designer Deluxe for PC, 5 CD Set)

(Wooden children’s toys)

***PLEASE NOTE***

Sponsors will be responsible for shipping auction items to the winning bidder

Brandy’s Battle: Can You Help? is a post from: Last Shreds Of Sanity | Blog Designer | California Mom Blog

January Is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Shan — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:38:00 +0000

Did you all know this? Does anybody know this? Probably not. Why? Because cervical cancer gets NO PRESS. Almost none at all. There are pink ribbon campaigns, kitchen gadgets, Campbell’s Soup cans, purses, make-up…MANY items you can buy to support National Breast Cancer Month every October. There are also huge Go RED campaigns run every February to promote Women’s Heart Health Month. Hell, they even integrate the Go RED campaign into the ABC soaps each year! Yes, goofy, painful lines said by favored soap stars about fixing heart healthy Campbell’s Soup, Preggo spaghetti sauce and the like for their on screen loves.

Even Oprah won’t mention it.

Honestly, it’s annoying to me.

Actually, it really pisses me off.

Now don’t go gettin’ yer knickers all in a twist…I’m not heartless {Pun intended}, I just get irritated when NO ONE talks about cervical cancer and the only press we do get is the negative kind having to do with the Gardasil vaccine. See, if you didn’t know this already, I am a cervical cancer survivor.

I was 11 weeks pregnant when the “lesions” and dysplasia were found. I was scared to death. I knew it was cancer. I just knew. It also didn’t help that a mere three months prior, one of my best friends, Angela, had gone from an abnormal pap result to a diagnosis of lesions to “you have an aggressive form of cervical cancer and need an immediate hysterectomy” in just a few short weeks. It was horrible.

And because of that, I had done a lot of research on this disease. So I knew my new diagnosis wasn’t good. Especially when the pap I had had just 6 weeks prior had come out perfectly normal. I was pregnant at that time, but we did not know it yet.

You can read more about my Cervical Cancer story here.

The point of this post, for me, is to raise awareness and get the word out, so to speak, about Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know that 99% of all cervical cancers are caused by HPV {Human Papillomavirus}? Did you also know that 80% of women will have had HPV in their lifetime? Or that HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex?

What is HPV?

It is a very common virus. There are more than 100 types. About 15 types can cause cervical cancer. Some types cause warts on the fingers or feet but do not cause cancer. Other types cause warts in the genital area that are not cancerous.

Some facts about HPV and Cervical Cancer:

Definition of cervical cancer: Cancer that forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
Almost all cervical cancer begins as an infection with the virus called HPV. An HPV test, which is done much like a Pap test, can detect the virus in cervical cells. Almost all HPV that affects the cervix is spread by sex (through intimate genital to genital contact including vaginal or anal intercourse, finger to genital contact, and finger to anal contact). It is rarely spread through oral sex. HPV can be passed on between straight and same-sex partners—even when the infected partner has no signs or symptoms.
The CDC estimates 11,270 new cases and 4,070 deaths from cervical (uterine cervix) cancer in the United States in 2009.
HPV is the most important cause of and risk factor for cervical cancer. But studies have shown that other factors may act together with HPV to increase your risk of developing cervical cancer. These factors include cigarette smoking and having given birth to many children. Also, if you have a weak immune system, you may be at higher risk because your body may not be able to clear up HPV on its own. For example, if you take medicine to block your body’s immune response or if you have HIV, you may be at higher risk.
There are more than 30 types of genital HPV, and most will clear on their own. But for some women who don’t clear certain types of the virus, cervical cancer can develop. And there’s no way to predict who will or won’t clear the virus. Only the high-risk types of HPV lead to cancer. Sexually transmitted, high-risk HPVs include types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, and 73. These high-risk types of HPV cause growths on the cervix that are usually flat and nearly invisible, as compared with the external warts caused by low-risk types HPV–6 and HPV–11. HPV types 16 and 18 together cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers. It is important to note, however, that the great majority of high-risk HPV infections go away on their own and do not cause cancer.
A person can have HPV even if years have passed since he or she had sexual contact with an infected person. Most infected persons do not realize they are infected or that they are passing the virus on to a sex partner. It is also possible to get more than one type of HPV.
Both men and women can have HPV, and it is easily spread. Any type of genital contact with someone who has HPV can put you at risk — intercourse isn’t necessary. And since there are often no signs or symptoms, many people don’t know they are passing it on. There are about 6 million new cases of genital HPV in the United States each year.
HPV infection can occur in both male and female genital areas that are covered or protected by a latex condom, as well as in areas that are not covered. Although the degree of protection provided by condoms in preventing HPV infection is unknown, condom use has been associated with a lower rate of cervical cancer.
Persistent HPV infections are now recognized as the major cause of cervical cancer. In 2007, it was estimated that 11,000 women in the United States would be diagnosed with this type of cancer and nearly 4,000 would die from it. Cervical cancer strikes nearly half a million women each year worldwide, claiming a quarter of a million lives. Studies also suggest that HPVs may play a role in some cancers of the anus, vulva, vagina, and penile cancer (cancer of the penis).
Studies have also found that oral HPV infection is a strong risk factor for oropharyngeal cancer (cancer that forms in tissues of the oropharynx, which is the middle part of the throat and includes the soft palate, the base of the tongue, and the tonsils). Researchers found that an oral HPV infection and past HPV exposure increase the risk of oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer, regardless of tobacco and alcohol use, two other important risk factors for this disease. However, combining HPV exposure and heavy tobacco and alcohol use did not have an additive effect.
Very rarely, a pregnant woman with genital HPV can pass HPV to her baby during delivery. In these cases, the child can develop RRP.
The surest way to eliminate risk for genital HPV infection is to refrain from any genital contact with another individual For those who choose to be sexually active, a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner is the strategy most likely to prevent genital HPV infection. However, it is difficult to determine whether a partner who has been sexually active in the past is currently infected.
You are at higher risk of getting HPV if you have had more than one sex partner, or if you or your partner has HPV, you will share it until your bodies’ immune systems get rid of the infection. If you have sex only with each other, you will not pass the HPV virus back and forth. This is because when the HPV goes away, the immune system will remember that HPV type and keep you from getting it again. Even though you are protected from one type of HPV, you are not protected from getting the many other types of HPV. Also, a woman who has had sex with a man who has had many sexual partners may be at higher risk of developing cervical cancer. In both cases, the risk of developing cervical cancer is higher because these women have a higher risk of HPV infection.
If you are under age 30, getting an HPV and a Pap test together on a regular basis is not helpful. HPV tests can lead to unnecessary treatment, because HPV infection is very common in women under 30 and usually goes away on its own.This is why cervical cancer is very rare for women in this age group.

Other risk factors for contracting HPV:

Lack of regular Pap tests: Cervical cancer is more common among women who don’t have regular Pap tests. The Pap test helps doctors find abnormal cells. Removing or killing the abnormal cells usually prevents cervical cancer.
Smoking: Among women who are infected with HPV, smoking cigarettes slightly increases the risk of cervical cancer.
Weakened immune system (the body’s natural defense system): Infection with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) or taking drugs that suppress the immune system increases the risk of cervical cancer.
Using birth control pills for a long time: Using birth control pills for a long time (5 or more years) may slightly increase the risk of cervical cancer among women with HPV infection. However, the risk decreases quickly when women stop using birth control pills.
Having many children: Studies suggest that giving birth to many children (5 or more) may slightly increase the risk of cervical cancer among women with HPV infection.
DES (diethylstilbestrol): DES may increase the risk of a rare form of cervical cancer in daughters exposed to this drug before birth. DES was given to some pregnant women in the United States between about 1940 and 1971. (It is no longer given to pregnant women.)

For more information or to help increase awareness about Cervical Cancer and HPV, click the button below.

Below is a list of posts about cervical cancer and how it has affected other lives. If you have also written a post about cervical cancer, please add your link to the list.

We are not alone.

January Is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is a post from: Last Shreds Of Sanity | Blog Designer | California Mom Blog

Breast Cancer: We Must Fight For A Cure!

Shan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:54:00 +0000

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I have re-posted what I wrote last year and I again dedicate it to my Godmother, Barb and my Aunt Janet, both breast cancer survivors and two of the strongest, wisest women I know, and to all those who have survived or are now fighting this deadly disease.

Thank you guys for being a part of my life and giving me your sage advice when I needed it {although I didn’t always take it, LOL} and letting me vent and cry about my crazy life.

I love you both dearly.

Fight for a cure!

This Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

So please remember someone you know who has been touched by cancer. Give to a cancer research organization if you can. Or participate in the Run/Walk for Life, if that is more your style. Just DO something.

I honor my Aunt Janet & Godmother Barbara, both Breast Cancer Survivors.

Find more information here.

Fight For A Cure!

Please don’t forget this one. We don’t get much press. But I am a survivor & it is important to get the word out. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease, & the most insidious, but gets the least amount of attention. This virus causes HPV disease & 99.7% of all cervical cancers, and most people don’t know they are infected until they get genital warts or a woman’s Pap smear comes back abnormal.

Please, ladies, ask for a HPV DNA test at your next Pap smear (most doctors won’t perform this screening test unless you do) & have your young daughters vaccinated. The HPV vaccine is the FIRST ever inoculation against cancers, or the viruses that cause them, of any kind. This is HUGE. Whatever your religious beliefs for or against this are, take it from me, get the shot for your girls. Get the test for yourselves.

As soon as my daughter is old enough, she is getting the series. I do not want her to go through what I have. If I were to get pregnant again, I probably wouldn’t be able to carry to term because of the damage to my cervix from this disease & subsequent surgeries. I cannot stress this enough, please, get tested. Get your daughters vaccinated.

We Must Find A Cure!

Breast Cancer: We Must Fight For A Cure! is a post from: Last Shreds Of Sanity | Blog Designer | California Mom Blog

I Got Another Award. This One Is Really Cool, Too!

Shan — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:31:00 +0000

Court, over at Kaiya’s Laughter Heals, has presented me with this Lemonade Stand Award. I am so honored. Truly.

She specifically noted my Cervical Cancer story as evidence of being a trooper. I beg to differ, as all I did was my best to survive with some of my sanity intact, the rest was all by the Grace of God. But I do thank Court for her compliment. If even only one woman reads my story & gets herself or a loved one checked and/or immunized against HPV, then I have done my job.

Oh, yeah, and she thinks I have a great attitude…LOL! Well, I do have an attitude, but not everybody thinks it’s a great one! But I digress…

Maybe it’s because I am so grateful to be alive, Cancer free for three years, able to be with my family everyday & watch my baby girl grow up. In any case, I am touched that she picked me for this award. Thank you again, Court!

Here is the business end of this award…

This award comes with a few rules:

Put the logo on your blog or post.

Nominate at least 10 blogs which show GREAT ATTITUDE and/or GRATITUDE!

Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.

Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

Now for the recipients…(Not sure that I know 10 bloggers who haven’t already received this award, but I will try.)

Danielle at An Eagle’s View & Blog Stalkers Unite. She’s awesome. You only need to read a couple of her posts to see her gratitude & great attitude. Go on, go visit her…
April at April Showers Blog Design because even through her recent Lap Band surgery (her “Bubba” got his on the same day), she has this amazing attitude. I never heard her complain once. She was just grateful & ready to start getting healthy. And she is an unbelievable blog designer (and reasonably priced, too).
Kelly {The Booger Queen, formerly known as The Neurotic Mom} at Baby Boogers, who because of some evil entity, had to shut down her blog, The Neurotic Mom, but came out with Baby Boogers. Same neurosis, different name. She is very cool. I am sure she doesn’t know me from Adam (I lurk on my Google Reader), but I would like her to know that I am grateful she found another way, and a very funny, cool bloggy title, to keep us up to date with her brand of craziness. Personally, I would have been plotting some kind of revenge against the butthead who shut her down….but, again, I digress.
ChicagoLady at I Dont Care What You Say Anymore, This Is My Life because I just love her. I love that she is a faithful commenter/follower on my blog. She is funny, and more importantly, brutally honest. I love that! And although I do not comment near enough on her blog, I faithfully stalk her from my Google Reader. And the title of her blog is one of my favorite songs.
Abi at I’m Abi…, my follower from across “The Pond” (I’m international, don’t you know!). She is a very young Mum of 3 little ones & trying to become a counselor. She had a bout of Post Partum (called Post Natal over there) Depression, but seems to be working through it well. She is honest about all aspects of her life and that takes some brass cahones. I also stalk her from my Google Reader & don’t comment at her place as much as I would like to do.
LadyStyx at LadyStyx’s Blog. Honest, forthright, with a thing for vanity license plates (she’d have a field day with mine!), you will love her, too, I’m sure! I also, stalk her on my Reader, as you will see with most of the blogs I follow.
Margaret at Nannie Goats In Panties because she never fails to make me laugh. And because I love, love, love the title of her blog. Read her “About” page…it’s hilarious!
Cheryl at non compos mentis because she is funny. And honest (are we seeing a theme here?). Oh, and she absolutely loves sarcasm, something I have an abundance of. And maybe this will get her to finally update her bloggy (hint, hint).
Michelle at My Crazy Life With A Toddler because she is in the same boat as me, just trying to keep sane & make a little cash from her blogging (another one I stalk from my Reader). And because of this post.
Courtney at Blogging*Matilda, with whom, even though we are at complete opposite ends politically, I share a love of DIY Home Improvement & Martha Stewart {Although I truly believe she is evil (Martha, not Courtney), I do want her house & decorating skills}. She is also an “Original MassHole”, a law student and resides in New England, where I dream of living & raising my family.

Holy Crap!! I did it!! That took forever. Not only because I had to decide on 10 bloggers who hadn’t already gotten this award, but because my new wireless keyboard seems to be possessed & keeps repeating letters or won’t respond at all. Every time I hit it, my Husband says “Ro…er…Shan, no hitting!” (ah, parenting!) To which I respond, “This thing is possessed & I am going to hit it until it does what I want.” (Or I kill it…hehe)

I Got Another Award. This One Is Really Cool, Too! is a post from: Last Shreds Of Sanity | Blog Designer | California Mom Blog

January Is…

Shan — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:35:00 +0000

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

I Am A Survivor. This Is My Story…

In August, 2004, when I was 11 weeks pregnant, my OB/GYN found abnormalities in my first official pregnancy Pap smear. Funny that my annual exam on July 2nd, just 5 weeks prior, when we didn’t know I was pregnant, came out normal. I was scared to death. One of my best friends, Angela, had just been diagnosed with Cervical Cancer the previous April. She went from a diagnosis of “cervical lesions” to positive for the bad strains of HPV , to “you have an aggressive form of Cervical Cancer” to a radical hysterectomy in just 6 short weeks.

Because of Ang, I had done some research about HPV & how it causes Cervical Cancer. When I got the call from my OB/GYN’s office, I knew it was bad. I, too, tested positive for the Cancer causing strains of HPV. I was devastated. My choices were to abort my pregnancy & get treated for the “lesions” right then, or go through with my pregnancy, be very closely monitored, pray that it would have no effect on my unborn baby & start treatment as soon after giving birth as was healthy for me. I, of course, chose the latter.

Until I gave birth & my OB could do a cervical biopsy, we did not know for certain that I had Cervical Cancer, but I did. Somehow I just knew it was Cancer. I started researching how HPV/Cervical Cancer affects an unborn child. It was not good. If I did not have Cancer & it was just the lesions, I gave birth vaginally, & the lesions were in an “active” period, then my baby could get infected with it. The lesions would go into her throat and cause breathing & swallowing problems which would require several laser surgeries to correct. My doctor told me this was a very rare occurrence, but I really wasn’t buying it.

If it was, in fact, Cancer & progressing, then my cervix could become so weakened that I could have a late term miscarriage. In addition to all the normal pregnancy worries & those triggered by reading “What To Expect When You’re Expecting”, I had this to deal with. I was not happy. I was petrified. Not to mention that I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome & was told I would need fertility drugs to even try to conceive a baby, which, of course, I was afraid of using. The fact that I got pregnant without even trying (I was on the Pill) made this my miracle baby. I had long ago resolved myself to the very distinct possibility of never having a child of my own.

So, with all this on my plate already, I was not even thinking that I had Cancer. I was far too worried about having a healthy pregnancy & baby to even consider that possibility. And yet it was my reality. About 5 weeks after getting the news of the HPV and lesions, I had two major seizures in as many days.

Whether they were caused by stress or a resurgence of the seizures I had following a car accident when I was 17, we will never know. With the first one, all I remember is going to the bathroom to throw up (the second one happened the next day while I was in bed). My husband found me on the bathroom floor, unresponsive. I was taken to the ER where they basically did nothing for me. I had to beg them to check my baby’s heartbeat. All I cared about is if my unborn child was alright. Nothing else mattered.

I was discharged after hearing my baby’s heartbeat and getting an appointment with a neurologist for an EEG. Unfortunately, the hospital could not do a CAT Scan on me because of the pregnancy. I was also told that when you have a seizure, you generally stop breathing for a period of time and because I was pregnant, that meant that my baby was also deprived of oxygen. We wouldn’t know for sure if this affected my baby until I gave birth. Great. More stuff to worry about. Just what I needed.

Neither the first quack neurologist, nor the second one I demanded to see could determine what caused my seizures. Wonderful.

From this point on, my pregnancy was rather uneventful. I joyfully watched my belly grow & grow. I was almost giddy the first time I saw my belly undulate with the, as yet to be felt, movements of my baby. I was ecstatic the first time I felt her kick. It was awesome! I played classical music for her on a microphone system made just for pregnancy. I talked to her. I told her stories. I prayed for her & my family out loud so she could hear me.

But no matter how happy I looked & sounded on the outside, always in the back of my mind was “It’s Cancer. Is it going to hurt the baby? Will I live long enough to raise her?” It was torture! Also, because of the seizures, I did have to endure non-stress tests three times a week starting Christmas Eve, 2004, until just before I delivered her March 10, 2005.

You know how dreams are way more vivid when you’re pregnant? Well, about a week or two before she was born, I had a dream that I had given birth and my Husband gave the baby to another woman who promptly left the hospital with her. In the “vision”, I was literally stuck in the bed & no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get out to get my baby back. It really rattled me. I did not know then just how prophetic that dream truly was.

Rowan was a week late & even though I was scheduled for an induction, I ended up having to have an emergency C-section because her heart rate dropped from 156 to 52, wouldn’t stabilize & when my OB broke my water, it was dark green & black. She was born with meconium aspiration (for those of you who don’t know, that is when the baby has a bowel movement in utero & inhales it) & was in the NICU for the first 18 days of her life. The NICU was at a different hospital because her birth hospital did not have one. So there I was stuck in a hospital bed, while my baby was taken to yet another hospital without me. There was my dream come to reality! Perfect! (I will write more about The Diva’s birth & illness in an upcoming post.)

In any case, my baby survived & on May 12, 2005, I had a Cervical biopsy & Cryo-surgery for my “lesions”. Two weeks later, it was confirmed that I had Cervical Cancer, but my doctor thought he had gotten it all. I wasn’t so sure. I had a newborn, I felt like the Human Milk Cow, I had Post Partum Anxiety Disorder & I had Cancer. Oh, Joy! I was tired, depressed, moody & petrified. This was not what my life was supposed to be, not by a long shot!

I continued to come in every two months for Pap smears. In September, the abnormalities & lesions reappeared. I flipped out & had my first, and I hope only, panic attack. Luckily, I had the presence of mind to call my best friend, Carol, who talked me through it. It was a rough time for me.

The first year of your baby’s life is supposed to be filled with first smiles, sitting up, first Christmases & first steps. Not Cancer, surgeries & depression. I was lost. I continued to pray every day, sometimes several times a day. I just wanted some peace. I wanted good health. I wanted to be around long enough to not only be a Grandmother, but be a serious pain in the ass to my daughter! (Yeah, a bit wicked, but I have the changed body & C-section scar, so I can have a little drive my kid crazy, too! So there!!)

On November 4, 2005, I had my second surgery, the LEEP & a D & C. My doctor was absolutely certain this time that he had gotten it all. I was hopeful. I prayed. Hard. He was right, he had gotten it all!

I somehow didn’t need Chemo or Radiation therapy (I am convinced I have a special Angel watching over me). There is, however, a large chunk of my cervix missing & I will probably never carry another baby to term, but I am alive. I am also happy to report that I have been Cancer free for over 3 years now. Praise Jesus!

There but for the grace of God, go I.

What has always bugged me, and what no doctor has been able to tell me, is where does HPV come from? The CDC/AIDS Researchers have been able to determine that HIV started with an African Rhesus Monkey & tracked the AIDS spread down to “Patient Zero”, a male, Bi-sexual International flight attendant, so why haven’t they done the same with HPV? It bothers me. I also don’t understand how I had a normal Pap Smear on July 2nd, when I was, in fact, pregnant, but we didn’t know it yet, then in mid-August my Pap was abnormal & I had HPV! I will forever be confused about this one.

What I truly want you all to know is this: Breast Cancer gets all the press. There are pink ribbon campaigns, pink kitchen utensils, even pink ribbon cans of Campbell’s soup. There is nothing done for Cervical Cancer/HPV Disease. I’ll bet hardly any of you knew that January is it’s National Awareness Month. They can’t even decide on a color! One site says it’s teal, another lavender. Geez! But Cervical Cancer & HPV are more insidious than Breast Cancer. You could be infected with it for years & not even know it. And you can always pass it on to your partner.

Some women who get infected have no adverse effects at all. The virus simply lies dormant in their cervix for years until their body gets rid of it. Others, like me and my friend, get Cervical Cancer. That is how insidious this disease is. The other thing that really chaps my hide is that HPV does not affect the infected man’s fertility and in only extremely rare cases causes Cancer (mostly homosexual men). But male carriers will infect their sexual partners regardless of if they use a condom or not. HPV is not just internal. It can live on the skin of the genital area where the condom does not cover. Please make yourselves aware of this disease.

I will leave you with this, dear readers, whatever your religious beliefs, get your daughters vaccinated with Gardasil. It is not a magic bullet. It will not prevent STD’s. But it can prevent your daughter from going through what I went through. It is the first ever inoculation against the virus that causes Cervical Cancer. This is HUGE. Truly. And even if a girl saves herself for marriage, there is no guarantee that her husband did the same. And since men generally have no symptoms & there is no reliable test to determine if he has been infected, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? As soon as my daughter is old enough, she is getting the shot. I will do whatever I have to do to protect her. Please do the same for your own daughters.

January Is… is a post from: Last Shreds Of Sanity | Blog Designer | California Mom Blog

October Is..Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Shan — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 03:44:00 +0000

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

So remember someone you know who has been touched by cancer. Give to a cancer research organization if you can. Or participate in the Run/Walk for Life, if that is more your style. Just DO something. I honor my Aunt Janet & Godmother Barbara, both Breast Cancer Survivors.

Find more information here and here.

Fight For A Cure!

Please don’t forget this one; We don’t get much press. But I am a cervical cancer survivor & it is important to get the word out.

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease, & the most insidious, but gets the least amount of attention. This virus causes HPV disease & 99.7% of all cervical cancers, and most people don’t know they are infected until they get genital warts or a woman’s Pap smear comes back abnormal. Please, ladies, ask for a HPV DNA test at your next Pap smear (most doctors won’t perform this screening test unless you do) & have your young daughters vaccinated. The HPV vaccine is the FIRST ever inoculation against cancer of any kind. It can potentially prevent someone you love from getting a devastating disease. This is HUGE. Whatever your religious beliefs for or against this are, take it from me, get the shot for your girls. Get the test for yourselves.

As soon as my daughter is old enough, she is getting the series. I do not want her to go through what I have. If I were to get pregnant again, I probably wouldn’t be able to carry to term because of the damage to my cervix from this disease & subsequent surgeries. I cannot stress this enough, please, get tested. Get your daughters vaccinated.

We Must Find A Cure!

October Is..Breast Cancer Awareness Month. is a post from: Last Shreds Of Sanity | Blog Designer | California Mom Blog