Papsmear Part 2

 General  27 Responses »
Feb 292012
 

Warning: 
Medical terms and explainations are being used in this post
Plus 
Medical terms that have been simplified for my own understanding.


Papsmear Part 1 here


Previous information:
I had my last papsmear just over a year ago. 
It came back normal.


Re-cap: 
Last week I got a phonecall from the nurse at my local doctors. I needed to come in within the next month for an appointment with my Dr regarding my results. I asked her if the papsmear came back abnormal? She told me the Dr needed to discuss my results and let me know my options.. *PANIC set in*….


I couldn’t get an appointment until the 7th March… ARGH… I got put on a waiting list..


I got an early appointment.


Today.


3.45pm I learnt the fate of having a papsmear yearly (instead of waiting every 2 years as I am classed as high risk due to my sister had CIN III and my mum had cervical cancer).


Dr welcomed me into her office. 
Sat me down.
Told me that I was due for a papsmear (it was flashing on her computer) 
I informed her that she gave me one last week. 
Oh yes – its here and yes I have the results… Oh.. she said. 


OH OH??? OH NO is all I could think in my head.. a million things going on already in my head right now (I could list them – Renovations, Wedding plans, MasterS’s leg diagnosis, Toilet Training MissC, House a mess and never seem to get on top of putting clothes away etc etc – the usually Mummy thoughts)  


OH is not what I need right now!


But Oh is what I got and here are the results:


The results: (Medical Terms used here)
High Grade Squamous Intrapithelial Lesion
Microscopy: Endocervical Component – Present
Abnormal cells are evident indicative of CIN III and concomitant human papilloma virus infection.
Small numbers of dysplastic cells are present and in addition there are metaplastic cells showing reactive atypia.
Recommendation: Colopscopic evaluation is recoomended.


Non Medical Terms:
Think of your cervic as a circle. 

  • Inside the circle are very few abnormal cells.. This is CIN I
  • Inside the circle there are quite a few abnormal cells.. This is CIN II
  • Covering the whole circle are abnormal cells.. This is CIN III – Pre-Cancerous
  • Abnormal cells penetrated through the circle and into the blood stream this is Cervical Cancer.
Plus throw in a few other cells that don’t belong in my Lovely Lady Bits.. that I can’t explain what they are.. but all I know is that its not good!

So I have CIN III – Now that they have found this information out – they can do something about it – Biopsy, Colposcopic,  Laser Surgery and they will zap those abnormal cells before the penetrate into the skin!


Should I be worried?
Yes but trying not to let it stress me out, there is nothing I can do except wait for the appointment where I will be in the best care of getting rid of the abnormal cells.


10 minutes later Drew phoned (as he is away up in Tom Price tonight for work) and asked how I went. I explained to him in the ‘simple terms’. He said so its not cancerous. I said no not yet. It could be in a month, it could be in a year. But now they know the problem they can treat it hopefully before it gets worse.


I have my appointment with the Gynocologist on the 27th April. Where I will be going in for a biopsy and possible laser surgery. That will be Part 3.


Right now I am going to focus on my Hen’s night this Saturday, my Wedding on the 24th March and MasterS’s appointment with the Dr who specialises in Motor skills in infants and will be able to diagnose whether its Hyper-mobility or not. Plus our renovations have well and truely begun – next week the concrete goes down! 


Its all go here at Delightfully Tacky Little Squirts.


Even though we’re having a small 40 people wedding.. I kinda now wish we just eloped and saved the money for all these other things that have now popped up!!


Hindsight is a b*tch.


Please think about the last time you got a papsmear done. 


Are you overdue? 


Please phone your doctor and make an appointment! 


I am so glad I was on the high risk list and was able to catch this within a year. I can’t even imagine if I had waited another year (or 3 in the UK). 


Please pass this post on so we can spread the word that something that takes 5 minutes to do can save your life.

Papsmear Part 1

 General  11 Responses »
Feb 232012
 
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Every woman should (MUST) go through this.. atleast every  three years.

Some go through it once and think thats it.
Some go through it every year.. one of those people is me.
 
Yup thats right. I have a papsmear every year! I hate it. But it is a must. 
 
My mother had cervical cancer when she was 50 and had a hysterectomy.
My eldest sister (by 7 yrs) had stage 3 cervical cancer when she was 25, and had laser surgery to kill the cells.
 
A doctor a few years ago suggested I get my smears done annually due to the high risk I may have (even though not hereditary). 

After MissC was born I had an abnormal papsmear – for me to repeat it in a year. As new babies go, the year went very quickly.
Whoops.. fell pregnant with MasterS a month after MissC’s 1st birthday. 
 
Had a papsmear in the early stages of MasterS’s pregnancy – tests came back normal.
 
Missed my week 6 checkup papsmear after MasterS was born as they said it was too early to check again since I had one at 15 weeks pregnant and to come back in October (this was in June 2011)
 
October came and went. I forgot. I put it off. I can give you every excuse in the world. I know I was put it off.
 
It wasn’t until Mrs Woog and her Do Not Fear Pap Smear post came up. It reminded me that I really needed to book my papsmear. 
So I did.. That afternoon I twittered to Mrs Woog and thanked her for reminding me – with my appointment on that Thursday. 
 
Before I went I twittered: off for my #smear today!! I am looking forward to taking my pants off and showing my bits to a stranger before my wedding day!! 
 
Ahh it wasn’t that uncomfortable.. the Dr was nice and chatty and ended up doing alot more than the normal smear (due to me having 2 c-section scars, she had to check everything was healing well).
As I left she said that I wouldn’t hear from them if everything was ok. That was the 16th February.
 
I received a call today. 23rd February 2012. 
 
My Dr wanted me to come in and see her urgently within the next month.
I asked if that was because my papsmear had come back abnormal?
The nurse replied Yes. But also that she needed to discuss options with me.


By now I was freaking out in my head.. a thousand things was running through my head.. The usual scary thoughts that happen when you get a phonecall that doesn’t explain anything – and could be nothing or could be something more!
My mum was with me when I received the phonecall (we were shopping for my wedding dress underwear). The look on her face was worse than the way my head and my stomach was feeling. I am pretty sure she freaks out more than I do.. sometimes I wish I didn’t have to tell my mum certain things, as she really is a worry wart!! But thats not the point. I also need her to look after the lil squirts while I go to my follow up appointment (love that Nanna and Grampy live 5 minutes from my house!).
 
Back on twitter tonight I thanked Mrs Woog for her reminder post and that if it wasn’t for her post, I would have waited until after the Wedding. Yes I now have a little added stress to think about. But that will not get me upset. I will not let it upset me! 
Things have been going so well this week (compared to my meltdown last week) I am feeling so much better and not feeling as pressured!
 
Appointment has been made for the 29th February.
This will be a followup post Papsmear Part 2. 
With hopefully better news/idea on what the hell is going on in my little lady area.


With this post. I would like you ladies to check your diaries and figure out when you last had your papsmear, and please book one if it is overdue! It really is important for yourself and your family!
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