Good news

grannyfranny
grannyfranny Member Posts: 42
edited March 2014 in Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine) #1
I just got the results from the first Pap smear after my hysterectomy - nothing malignant or abnormal was found. Yippee! My surgery was August 19, and radiation treatments ended December 16. When I went in 3 weeks ago for the Pap, my doc asked me if I was wearing my good-luck T-shirt. Darn, I forgot it! But I guess I didn't need it.

This month I also had a bone-density scan that showed I had no osteoporosis, and then the dental hygienist told me that I'd been flossing well - the first time I've EVER been told that! Last summer everything went wrong, starting with a pulmonary embolism. I like the present trend a whole lot better.

Hang in there, survivorfolk.

Fran

Comments

  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #2
    Hey, good for you! I had my first pap last summer-I was rather set back when my ob/gyn said I needed it. I figured with a hysterectomy, there wouldn't be anything to look for.

    Did you have the embolism before your surgery? I'm curious, because I had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that caused a pulmonary embolism before I was diagnosed with uterine (and subsequently, ovarian) cancer(s). I have since learned that DVT can be caused by lower body cancers, because your body's clotting ability goes into overdrive. TealRibbon had an experience similar to mine.
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #3
    Me again-I was curious, and look back at other posts you've left (by searching pulmonary embolism on the site), and realized that you've mentioned it previously. Now I wonder if anyone suggested that your P.E. might have been cause by the cancer. I've had a bit of a grudge against a nurse (I didn't see my doc that day) in my ob/gyn's office who didn't say anything when I was in for a double shot of depo-provera to control the horrible bleeding I was experiencing. She asked how I was feeling, and I remember distinctly saying that I felt o.k., but my leg was swollen and bothering me, and I needed to have my family doctor look at it.

    This is not to lay blame, but I've felt that it's a symptom that should be acknowledged by those in an ob/gyn office - I've had a number of health professionals nod, and say "of course, it was the cancer that caused it" when I mention the P.E., so I know it's not an obscure symptom. Obviously this has become a bit of a soap box for me. We share a bit of coincidence-my leg was swollen in the summer, and I went to the hospital with the P.E. in late August. My ob/gyn came in and did a uterine mini-biopsy while I was there and found uterine cancer, so I had my surgery at the beginning of Sept. '02.

    Keep up the good work on your flossing! I became very diligent when I was going through chemo, and it paid off.
  • vix
    vix Member Posts: 15
    #4
    YOU GO GIRL! You were one of the first people to reach out to me last month when I posted my fears for the first time; you made me feel welcome AND better about myself and my cancer. So I wanted to respond and congratulate your wonderful, HEALTHY results! It is always soooooo comforting to hear of success in our worlds' of uncertainty. Good going, and bless you! In friendship, Vix
  • grannyfranny
    grannyfranny Member Posts: 42
    #5
    groundeffect said:

    Me again-I was curious, and look back at other posts you've left (by searching pulmonary embolism on the site), and realized that you've mentioned it previously. Now I wonder if anyone suggested that your P.E. might have been cause by the cancer. I've had a bit of a grudge against a nurse (I didn't see my doc that day) in my ob/gyn's office who didn't say anything when I was in for a double shot of depo-provera to control the horrible bleeding I was experiencing. She asked how I was feeling, and I remember distinctly saying that I felt o.k., but my leg was swollen and bothering me, and I needed to have my family doctor look at it.

    This is not to lay blame, but I've felt that it's a symptom that should be acknowledged by those in an ob/gyn office - I've had a number of health professionals nod, and say "of course, it was the cancer that caused it" when I mention the P.E., so I know it's not an obscure symptom. Obviously this has become a bit of a soap box for me. We share a bit of coincidence-my leg was swollen in the summer, and I went to the hospital with the P.E. in late August. My ob/gyn came in and did a uterine mini-biopsy while I was there and found uterine cancer, so I had my surgery at the beginning of Sept. '02.

    Keep up the good work on your flossing! I became very diligent when I was going through chemo, and it paid off.

    Yes, once my tumor was diagnosed, the various docs did tell me that it might have caused the clotting. Clotting is something my family doesn't go in for, so the DVTs and PE came as a big shock. (Of course, we don't do cancer, either.) I expected to get heart disease somewhere down the road, but my heart is very strong so far.

    Last Friday I had an eye checkup, and now I'm to have a test of my peripheral vision. The eye doc saw a change in my retinas from last year. She says it could have been caused by insufficient oxygen during the PE episode. It hasn't harmed my vision, so I'm just as happy. Everything influences everything else, doesn't it? A friend of mine had cardio-pulmonary arrest twice and "mere" pulmonary arrest once, all on the same day. He has a pacemaker now and is fine, but his hair grew in gray after the "Big Three" - I figure that his hair follicles didn't get enough oxygen!

    Fran
  • grannyfranny
    grannyfranny Member Posts: 42
    #6
    vix said:

    YOU GO GIRL! You were one of the first people to reach out to me last month when I posted my fears for the first time; you made me feel welcome AND better about myself and my cancer. So I wanted to respond and congratulate your wonderful, HEALTHY results! It is always soooooo comforting to hear of success in our worlds' of uncertainty. Good going, and bless you! In friendship, Vix

    Thanks, Vix. How's it going?

    Fran
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #7
    grannyfranny said:

    Yes, once my tumor was diagnosed, the various docs did tell me that it might have caused the clotting. Clotting is something my family doesn't go in for, so the DVTs and PE came as a big shock. (Of course, we don't do cancer, either.) I expected to get heart disease somewhere down the road, but my heart is very strong so far.

    Last Friday I had an eye checkup, and now I'm to have a test of my peripheral vision. The eye doc saw a change in my retinas from last year. She says it could have been caused by insufficient oxygen during the PE episode. It hasn't harmed my vision, so I'm just as happy. Everything influences everything else, doesn't it? A friend of mine had cardio-pulmonary arrest twice and "mere" pulmonary arrest once, all on the same day. He has a pacemaker now and is fine, but his hair grew in gray after the "Big Three" - I figure that his hair follicles didn't get enough oxygen!

    Fran

    My family doesn't have a history of DVT, either-but I didn't realize there were so many who had cancers that could indicate the BRCA (breast cancer) genetic factor there were a number of instances of breast, colon, and possible ovarian cancers, so it wouldn't suprise me to find someone had undiagnosed DVT, also.

    Everthing does influence everything else, health-wise. Take care of your heart! I'm relieved my 77 year old Mom just passed her stress test with flying colors again, although she's had some indications of heart trouble in the past.

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