On a high from the World’s Greatest Shave, and chatting to the kids in the lounge, I nearly missed the telephone ringing. It was the Victorian Cytology Service confirming that the results were abnormal and that I have been registered for “low grade squamous epithelial lesions”. Always with the precursor of ‘don’t worry’, I managed to get more information from this ‘unsuspecting’ doctor. The clinic I have been registered for is ‘cervical dysplasia’. This is a “complex care clinic” where they register women with abnormal results who cells have a possibility of growing into cervical cancer. Little did he know that Oncology got to me first.
The next question asked was “Do I have HPV”? HPV is present in all cases of diagnosis related Cervical Cancer and it was a question that was dodged by two doctors in emergency. “Its very possible” was his heavily accented response. But don’t worry.
Cervical cancer takes on average about 10 years to develop. Since I have had a hysterectomy, there is no cervix present, so we are talking about lesions in related gynae areas.
I had an Oprah “ah ha” moment last night and I tend to have a few of these. The first was realising that blood tests conducted two months prior to the TAH did not pick up the tumour. The second realisation I had was the clear memory of the ultrasound prior to the Hysterectomy and the report which said that the “uterine mass’ was “transmural” which meant it was located both inside and outside of the uterus. This tissue mass related to the ectopic pregancy (Seanain) (ectopic pregnancy = pregnancy outside of uterus i.e fallopean tube, or in my second case, just outside the uterus). If the tumour, as found in the biopsy after the TAH was in the mass that they found. It may be a possibility that the tumour was, also, transmural.
They took the tumour out, without a question or a doubt. However if it was transmural then cell growth outside the uterus is a possibility and its this possibility that is sitting at the back of my mind as further issues progress.
I will have a chat to my Glaswegian “House” however I am braced for the common comment that is associated with rare tumours of “I don’t know”.
The MRI is this Thursday at 8:15am and surgery / further biopsies most likely the following week.(biopsies, removing lesions, laser – all the good wholesome stoof)
In the meantime it has given me excellent design ideas regarding my photography portfolios which is great. It allows me to exercise the demons of uncertainty and negativity through the camera lens and to express my human spirit which is great. I am very fortunate that I have ‘fodder’ for my work so although things could turn out complicated, one just can’t help but whistle “always look on the bright side of life…” 🙂
