Hello Everyone,
My name is Joanna, I'm 28 and was diagnosed with Uterine cancer late last year. It was discovered after a pap test I had came back with precancerous cells, some of which were removed, but then they decided to do a whole bunch of scans as I was getting intense pain after sex (sorry if TMI!) - well, not just after sex, but any time I climaxed I would feel like I was having labor contractions (again, sorry if TMI!).
I had an external and internal ultrasound which showed the cancer was in my uterus and one of my ovaries....and had spread to my cervix. I told my partner about the news straight away, but waited a few weeks to tell my family, as they had already watched my mother die of breast cancer, and I really didn't want to put them through it all again.
So...moving on! I've started aggressive Chemo in the hope to shrink the cancer before my surgery on the 5th of February 2010. I go in once a week, and yesterday had my second treatment. The drugs they are giving me are Paclitaxel, Herceptin and Cisplatin. I'm a little confused as from some of what I've read seems to indicate that those drugs, or at least one of them, are used for Breast cancer. But I'm just going along with what the doctors suggest. My bad ovary gets removed on the 5th of feb, and if the cancer hasn't shrunk enough they will remove all my girly bits apart from the good ovary.
So now I'm laying in bed, throwing up, feel like i've been hit by a freight train, and I'm not well enough to look after my very special daughter who is almost 14 months, and is on oxygen as she was 13 weeks early (born at 27 weeks). Suki has had to start daycare, for two days a week because of all of this and I just feel so guilty. I feel like I have failed her. I feel angry that my family has to watch yet another loved one go through cancer treatments (we have a long family history of various cancers), and to top it all off - my hair started falling out this morning.
So there is my vent for today! I hate having these 'why me' days, but always remind myself that there is always someone out there worse off than you, and at least I have the option of treatment, even though it's absolute hell.
Best Wishes to all of you, Nice to meet you!
Joanna xo