When You Survive Cancer, Everything Else is Bonus Points

For many people this may not seem frightening. However, I am a simple woman, I like my simple life. I like cooking for my Beloved husband and caring for our home. My simple job, selling toys in a mall, is a joy for me to go to.

I suppose many will think I made too much of the last few weeks, and in retrospect they may be right. However on the off chance that another simple person is facing this fear, I feel compelled to share my experience.

On Feb 19^th I was in a local I-hop with my Beloved. I began to get dizzy. I was having a time of the month that was leaving me breathless with pain, and light headed from blood loss. I called my doctor to see about pills to stop it. She said, "Mel, I want you to go to the ER, NOW".

My Beloved took me right away; I was so lightheaded I could not even eat. The Emergency room doctor called for some tests.

The results were, I was 1 point away from needing a blood transfusion to survive! He said I need to see a GYN, and set me up an emergency appt for the next Monday.

The dr did an exam and said I needed iron pills and an emergency hysterectomy.

I left the emergency room, not really worried, though I had never had any major surgery before, a hysterectomy would heal me and I would feel better.

On Monday the GYN did his exam and told me test result would take 5- 10 days and they would call me to schedule surgery then.

I was not out of his office 5 minutes when his nurse called me back and said, "Can you come in for pre-op on Friday?" I said of course but what happened to waiting for results, she said they were rushing it and would have them by then.

Wednesday they called and asked could I come in Thursday afternoon, the tests were in and they doctor wanted to see me as soon as possible.

The next day I go in and wait. The doctor comes in. He tells me that he did 2 tests, one a regular pap test; the other called an endometrial biopsy. The biopsy was of a bit of the uterine lining. It showed cancer. He did not give it a name, just called it a "small well formed cancer".

He assured me he was confident the hysterectomy would take care of the cancer completely.

I left his office numb, I had to go register for the hospital and my Beloved was on his way to meet me. I didn't know how to tell him. I mean we had known for a long while that something was not right with me. I never had energy, my time of the month was worse all the time, but paps came away clear.

When Beloved and youngest son arrived he asked what was wrong. The administration lady called us and I couldn't tell him then. So she begins going over the information and calls the insurance company. They ask her why the surgery is needed and she says bleeding, anemia and cancer. Beloved's face went white.

When we had finished in the administrator office we went to the waiting room to await the next interview. He took my hand and said, "I should have been here. You should not have had to hear that alone."

So we spent the weekend explaining to family my upcoming surgery and to my web site. I need to say, the ladies on my web site were just awesome. They gave me more comfort than I could have dreamed possible, and I love each and every one of them.

So on Monday we get another call from the Doctor's office. The tests on Friday showed my anemia was even worse and I would have to have a blood transfusion before I could have surgery. So I had to be at the hospital at 5 am the next morning.

They rigged me up in these off hose, to stop blood clots in my legs, I looked ready to moon walk. I was put on the blood at 7. I had an IV in each arm that was hard. At 845, way before I was emotionally ready, I was wheeled away from my loved ones.

I was back in my room by 11, everything went fine. No complications were had. I stayed in the hospital for 2 days, because I couldn't eat the first day.

The doctor came in the second day and said the pathology report indicated they got all the cancer, no chemo or any other treatment was needed.

Now why is this story important? Because a clear pap does Not mean cancer is not present! If you are having problems, ask you doctor to probe deeper to find the cause.

I am blessed; I was diagnosed, treated and cured in 2 weeks. If my original doctor has done as I asked and just given me the pills, I would still not know about the cancer!

As my older brother says, "kid, I survived, everything else is bonus points".