I was 31 when I was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma of the cervix. It had started years ago but I never picked it up. It had been 7 years since my last Pap smear. I thought I was young and fit, that I was okay and I would be fine. When I had my children I lost lots of blood and ended up having operation after operation, yet I still didn’t know because we weren’t looking for it.
In 2017 I was hit bad; my period became very unusual, it would last sometimes for 6 days and other days 3. It was very heavy, so heavy that I had to wear a pad and a super tampon together and still needed to change every hour. The pain I was getting was unbelievable with the cramping in my pelvis and lower bank. Most difficult was hubby and I hadn’t had sex in a year it was too painful.
2018 came and I said to myself I need a check up. When I had the Cervical Screening Test done I thought wow, it hurt so bad. After a week I got called into the doctor and she advised I needed to go get a colposcopy. So off I went 3 weeks after my cervical screening. As the doc was checking and swabbing it was like she could see something or she just knew.
1 week went past and I was at work when my phone rang and I got my results. “Sorry Danielle you have HPV 16 and you have Adenocarcinoma. You need a hysterectomy.”
2019 came around so fast, it was only a matter of 4 months from the time I was diagnosed until my operation.
On the 7th Jan 2019 I had a hysterectomy. Everything was taken but my ovaries. I cried and cried. I was only 31 but I had no choice, it was have the hysterectomy or die.
I went for my first check up and now I am in remission. I have been told the cancer may show again as the type I had is very fast and aggressive. It attacks the cells that produce mucus like your lungs, bladder and throat. I will be needing check-ups every year until I’m 75 or until I get the all clear from the doctor.
So ladies don’t be like me and assume you’re healthy and fit. That was me and unfortunately now I’ve learnt my lesson. Go get your check up and protect yourself.