Have you ever received news regarding your health that stopped you right in your tracks? If you answered yes, then I definitely can relate!
As some of my readers know I suffered a health scare earlier this year and decided to post about it here. After really giving a lot of thought about it I decided that if I did, maybe I could encourage people to share my experience and save a loved one of their own. I just want to say that I received a lot of positive feedback and had women tell me they would get screened because of my post.
Simply humbling, thank you.
When my health scare began, every negative thought that could run through my mind...did. Emotionally I was completely overwhelmed and being uncertain about my fate was paralyzing. To all those out there that have been or are going through a similar situation, my heart is with you.
Quick Update:
I went back to have a procedure called a colposcopy. This is a procedure where a physician goes in and takes several biopsies of the cervix. In my case, he had to take four samples of tissue. In full disclosure, this was a very painful procedure. I was then to wait a week for results. One week later the nurse called to say that I had severe dysplasia, but thankfully nothing appeared cancerous. Relief! She did say that because he saw many abnormal changes, he wanted to do a deeper procedure called a leep. One month later I returned and was less nervous as so far the news wasn't life-threatening.
When I arrived I asked the nurse to have the doctor review all the findings with me so that we were on the same page. When we reviewed, I was told that all of the biopsies did in fact come back pre-cancerous; stage 0 cancer. <insert meltdown here>. Second disclosure: This procedure was also very painful, I was couch bound for a week afterwards. I once again waited a week and got the call, they had removed all of the pre-cancerous cells and found no underlying cancer in the deeper tissues. Hallelujah! I was advised to come back in one year for a recheck and we would go from there.
Did I mention I'm horrible at waiting?
New Found Hope:
Now that I am on the other side of situation, I can not tell you the weight that was lifted. Was all the hell I went through, worth it? Absolutely! I was literally beginning to make funeral plans and could not focus on anything else but the doom & gloom I was imagining. No more!
I honestly feel like a different person now. I realized how truly blessed I am and appreciate the thoughts and prayers of so many. I had an amazing support system through many prayer warriors and my loving husband. Without his support, I would have gone literally crazy with all my worrying.
This situation has changed me in so many ways. I have became a strong advocate for women's health and regular screenings. I have learned to really enjoy and embrace those in my life. I'm blessed enough to work in the long-term care field, and my situation has even given me a new appreciation for showing love and affection to all those around me. I realized that if something were to happen to someone I love, my residents, my co-workers or even myself, I want to ensure that I am daily telling them how much I loved them and how much they've meant to me.
I can finally see the light at the end of my self-induced tunnel. This experience has relit the fire inside to finish the things I've started and pursue goals I once thought were out of reach. I have even enrolled back in school to finish the few classes I have left on my MBA.
I am finally getting back to living, and it feels amazing!
xoxo- Sharon
Last note: Please ladies get those screenings regularly, they can save your life!
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