Mom diagnosed with cervical cancer

ren12
ren12 Member Posts: 79
edited July 2013 in Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine) #1

My mom was just diagnosed yesterday at 61 years old with cervical cancer. When I sat there listening to the Dr deliver the news I felt numb. I thought this cant be happening. She had pre cancer cells about 16 years ago that were lasered off. She then went for her follow up and told they were able to remove everything and she was good to go. Little did I know she had not had another pap since then. She started bleeding after being in menoapuse for many years. She had a pap and it came back abnormal. She then had another test to see if she had cancer. They called her yestarday and told her to come in and bring a family memeber. We knew that was not a good sign. She is handling it a lot better than me. I dont let her see how worried I am but all I can do is sit at home and cry. This is my mom. :( she goes to see on gyno/oncologist Tuesday to discuss what to do next and then they will make another appointment to go from there.  If anybody has any advice to offer me I would love to hear from you. I just keep thinking...has she had this for 16 years?? And if so, does that mean it has spread to other organs by now?? Im just so scared and confused. Thank you...  

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Comments

  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #2
    I'm sorry foryour moms

    I'm sorry foryour moms diagnosis,  hopefully it was caught early.  A hysterectomy is usually done if there hasn't been spread.  She has not had cancer for 16 years, but the virus that causes thiscancer never goes away.  Tell your mom how much you love her and she will make it through this.  Hugs to you and your mom.

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #3
    Thank you so much!! Scares me

    Thank you so much!! Scares me so bad how she hasnt been checked again after 16 years. Thats why I'm worried that it has spread. The waiting game is the absolute worse!!

  • mamadawg
    mamadawg Member Posts: 17
    #4
    First off, I am truly sorry

    First off, I am truly sorry for the news received by your mother. I can only assume by now thatbyou have received the official news and staging for her disease. Please know that as one who was diagnosed with stage iv of this disease that while it can be a difficult battle for anyone of any age, it is a disease which can be beaten. The one good thing about this cancer is that it is verynslow growing so even if it has been in process of formation, it can take upwardsnof 15-20 yrs to actually go from precancerous to cancerous cells.  So I am holding out hope that she was found at an early stage, despite the years between her seeking treatment. Please, if either you or your mother should have any questions, I hooe you will not hesitate to ask. i pretty muchnhave been through it all....chemo, radiation, internal radiation, pelvic exenteration surgery (a hysterectomy on steroids) nephro tubes in and outnof kidneys, and numerous infections and hospitilaizations. i will tell everything straight and up front so you will know thengood with bad. as I suspect you know, it is cancer so it is not all easy, but  neither is it all hell. i just believe in letting women know what theybcan expect and at same time letting them know that just as each womannis differentnso is the manner in which theybwill respond to each treatment or procedure. I do sincerely wish you both the very best!

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #5
    mamadawg said:

    First off, I am truly sorry

    First off, I am truly sorry for the news received by your mother. I can only assume by now thatbyou have received the official news and staging for her disease. Please know that as one who was diagnosed with stage iv of this disease that while it can be a difficult battle for anyone of any age, it is a disease which can be beaten. The one good thing about this cancer is that it is verynslow growing so even if it has been in process of formation, it can take upwardsnof 15-20 yrs to actually go from precancerous to cancerous cells.  So I am holding out hope that she was found at an early stage, despite the years between her seeking treatment. Please, if either you or your mother should have any questions, I hooe you will not hesitate to ask. i pretty muchnhave been through it all....chemo, radiation, internal radiation, pelvic exenteration surgery (a hysterectomy on steroids) nephro tubes in and outnof kidneys, and numerous infections and hospitilaizations. i will tell everything straight and up front so you will know thengood with bad. as I suspect you know, it is cancer so it is not all easy, but  neither is it all hell. i just believe in letting women know what theybcan expect and at same time letting them know that just as each womannis differentnso is the manner in which theybwill respond to each treatment or procedure. I do sincerely wish you both the very best!

    Thank you...

    Sorry to take so long to respond as I havent been on here for a while. She had a pet scan and ct scan which showed cancer was right in cervix and nothing else. But after having a loop or leap?? and cone procedure we found out is bigger than they thought. Something about the cancer started in the inside and grew out so it didnt show everything on the scans. It's all very confusing to me. She is supposed to have a radical hysterctomy soon. It's not scheduled yet. They dont think the cancer is attached to anything else but wont know for sure until they do surgery. If so, chemo/radiation will be next. Good news is the said her stage is 1B.

    Very sorry you have been thru a rough time. I pray for you and please keep me up to date. I wish you the best!!!!

  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #6
    ren12 said:

    Thank you...

    Sorry to take so long to respond as I havent been on here for a while. She had a pet scan and ct scan which showed cancer was right in cervix and nothing else. But after having a loop or leap?? and cone procedure we found out is bigger than they thought. Something about the cancer started in the inside and grew out so it didnt show everything on the scans. It's all very confusing to me. She is supposed to have a radical hysterctomy soon. It's not scheduled yet. They dont think the cancer is attached to anything else but wont know for sure until they do surgery. If so, chemo/radiation will be next. Good news is the said her stage is 1B.

    Very sorry you have been thru a rough time. I pray for you and please keep me up to date. I wish you the best!!!!

    I'm so happy the pet ct was

    I'm so happy the pet ct was clear and your mom is going through to surgery.  Hopes for a speedy recovery and no further treatment necessary.  Hugs!

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #7
    ccfighter said:

    I'm so happy the pet ct was

    I'm so happy the pet ct was clear and your mom is going through to surgery.  Hopes for a speedy recovery and no further treatment necessary.  Hugs!

    Worried again

    They are now saying my mom has a 50/50 chance that cancer has spread to lymph nodes. Its growing faster than they thought. She is going to have a radical hysterctomy on Monday. If they get in there and see its in lymph nodes, they will stop procedure and do radiation and chemo. The Dr said I could go to nci.gov and look up squamous cell cervical cancer stage 1B2. Which I did but still very confused. :(

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #8
    ren12 said:

    Worried again

    They are now saying my mom has a 50/50 chance that cancer has spread to lymph nodes. Its growing faster than they thought. She is going to have a radical hysterctomy on Monday. If they get in there and see its in lymph nodes, they will stop procedure and do radiation and chemo. The Dr said I could go to nci.gov and look up squamous cell cervical cancer stage 1B2. Which I did but still very confused. :(

    radiaition

    Well mom has had her radical hysterectomy but now have found out 4 out of 12 lymph nodes have cancer cells. In about 4 weeks she will start radiation 5 days a week and maybe chemo 1 day a week. Dr said low dose of radiation cause they are not trying to shrink a tumor, but kill cancer cells. Anyone have more information they can share? Thank you!! Praying for you all...

  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #9
    ren12 said:

    radiaition

    Well mom has had her radical hysterectomy but now have found out 4 out of 12 lymph nodes have cancer cells. In about 4 weeks she will start radiation 5 days a week and maybe chemo 1 day a week. Dr said low dose of radiation cause they are not trying to shrink a tumor, but kill cancer cells. Anyone have more information they can share? Thank you!! Praying for you all...

    Your mom will do just fine.

    Your mom will do just fine.  It's not a walk in the park, but not terrible either.  The chemo may make her nauseas but they have very good meds to controll that.  The radiation can cause fatigue, but again, rest and hydrate and she will sail through.  If you have any questions let me know.  I hope your mom is healing easy.  Hugs.

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,488 Member
    #10
    ccfighter said:

    Your mom will do just fine.

    Your mom will do just fine.  It's not a walk in the park, but not terrible either.  The chemo may make her nauseas but they have very good meds to controll that.  The radiation can cause fatigue, but again, rest and hydrate and she will sail through.  If you have any questions let me know.  I hope your mom is healing easy.  Hugs.

    cc fighter is right.  Good

    cc fighter is right.  Good drugs to fight any nausea, and even if she doesn't feel like eating (that was my side effect) she has to force herself to eat.  Talking with a dietician that specializes in helping cancer patients was helpful, not covered by my insurance but worth the few bucks. 

    Radiation can keep working for up to six weeks after you finish, and I was very surprised how it kicked me in the butt!  I think the exhaustion was worse after I had finished radiation, but I figured sleep was part of healing and gave in when I hit the wall. 

     

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #11
    NoTimeForCancer said:

    cc fighter is right.  Good

    cc fighter is right.  Good drugs to fight any nausea, and even if she doesn't feel like eating (that was my side effect) she has to force herself to eat.  Talking with a dietician that specializes in helping cancer patients was helpful, not covered by my insurance but worth the few bucks. 

    Radiation can keep working for up to six weeks after you finish, and I was very surprised how it kicked me in the butt!  I think the exhaustion was worse after I had finished radiation, but I figured sleep was part of healing and gave in when I hit the wall. 

     

    Thank you so much. So nice to

    Thank you so much. So nice to know there are people ready to answer my questions when you have your own fight. I dont know you guys but think and pray of you often.

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #12
    ren12 said:

    Thank you so much. So nice to

    Thank you so much. So nice to know there are people ready to answer my questions when you have your own fight. I dont know you guys but think and pray of you often.

    catheter?

    Mom had her radical hysterectomy on Sep 23rd and came home with a catheter. She went back a week later, and was unable to go to the bathroom on her own, so came home with a new one. Went back a week after that and same problem. She goes back Tuesday and if unable to go on her own again, she may need to self catherize. Any one else had this problem?

  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #13
    ren12 said:

    catheter?

    Mom had her radical hysterectomy on Sep 23rd and came home with a catheter. She went back a week later, and was unable to go to the bathroom on her own, so came home with a new one. Went back a week after that and same problem. She goes back Tuesday and if unable to go on her own again, she may need to self catherize. Any one else had this problem?

    Keep calm.  This is common.

    Keep calm.  This is common.  I came home with a catheter after my rad hysterectomy and went back a week later to try and go and I didn't put out enough urine so came home with the cath bag again.  A week later I went back and was successful enough to have the catheter removed but for the next several weeks I needed to run warm water in the sink in order to get my bladder to relax and go.  This takes time.  The surgery is quite traumatic to the bladder and surrounding tissues and time helps these things calm down and return to normal.  Even if she has to self cath for a while, I believe in a short time she will be back to normal bladder function.  Hugs.

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #14
    ccfighter said:

    Keep calm.  This is common.

    Keep calm.  This is common.  I came home with a catheter after my rad hysterectomy and went back a week later to try and go and I didn't put out enough urine so came home with the cath bag again.  A week later I went back and was successful enough to have the catheter removed but for the next several weeks I needed to run warm water in the sink in order to get my bladder to relax and go.  This takes time.  The surgery is quite traumatic to the bladder and surrounding tissues and time helps these things calm down and return to normal.  Even if she has to self cath for a while, I believe in a short time she will be back to normal bladder function.  Hugs.

    Thank you. How have you been

    Thank you. How have you been doing ccfighter?

  • ccfighter
    ccfighter Member Posts: 476 Member
    #15
    ren12 said:

    Thank you. How have you been

    Thank you. How have you been doing ccfighter?

    Doing well.  One day at a

    Doing well.  One day at a time, but NED for now and enjoying my kids and the changing seasons.  A cancer diagnosis is a hard adjustment.  But..each day I count my lucky stars and try to open my arms to embrace whatever the day has in store.  I know things can fall apart at any second, but I chose to enjoy the moment in which I'm in and try not to let the fear and anxiety take over.  Some days are easier than others, but, all things considered...I'm doing awesome.

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #16
    ccfighter said:

    Doing well.  One day at a

    Doing well.  One day at a time, but NED for now and enjoying my kids and the changing seasons.  A cancer diagnosis is a hard adjustment.  But..each day I count my lucky stars and try to open my arms to embrace whatever the day has in store.  I know things can fall apart at any second, but I chose to enjoy the moment in which I'm in and try not to let the fear and anxiety take over.  Some days are easier than others, but, all things considered...I'm doing awesome.

    Your strength amazes me as

    Your strength amazes me as I'm sure it does so many others. What an inspiration you are. :))

  • shasta34
    shasta34 Member Posts: 14
    #17
    ren12 said:

    Your strength amazes me as

    Your strength amazes me as I'm sure it does so many others. What an inspiration you are. :))

    Ren12, your story is almost exactly like mine!  My mom was recently diagnosed with cerivical cancer stage 1b2.  She has not had a hysterectemy, or any female problems until now, she is 53.  She has had a CT scan which showed a mass from the cervix to the uterus.  Her gyn/onc ordered a PET scan next week and said that after that she will start 5 weeks of daily radiation and chemo once a week for the 5 weeks, but no surgery.  I am praying the cancer has not gotten to the lymph nodes and is just confined to the mass.  Please keep me updated on your mom!!  Your in my thoughts and prayers :)

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #18
    shasta34 said:

    Ren12, your story is almost exactly like mine!  My mom was recently diagnosed with cerivical cancer stage 1b2.  She has not had a hysterectemy, or any female problems until now, she is 53.  She has had a CT scan which showed a mass from the cervix to the uterus.  Her gyn/onc ordered a PET scan next week and said that after that she will start 5 weeks of daily radiation and chemo once a week for the 5 weeks, but no surgery.  I am praying the cancer has not gotten to the lymph nodes and is just confined to the mass.  Please keep me updated on your mom!!  Your in my thoughts and prayers :)

    Wow! Our stories are very

    Wow! Our stories are very similar!! They were hoping they would get everything with her surgery, but no such luck. We met with the radiologist today and they will start doing radiation 5 days a week with chemo just on Mondays. They wont start this until at least 6 weeks after her surgery. It's been only 4 weeks so far. I asked him today if they were trying to kill cancer cells or what?? He said there was some that traveled to 4 lymph nodes and where the cervix sat, so that why she needs radiation. Without it the cancer WILL return. She will have a very low dose as they said they are not trying to shrink a tumor but get rid of any left over cancer. She felt very sick last week so she went to her regular DR who told her she had UTI from catheter. She was put on antibiotic, which seemed to help, but she got a call on our way home today that she has bacterial infection from it. Antibiotics wont fix it, so she has to get an IV to get rid of it. Waiting to hear if she can have home health care come to her house and do it or if she needs to stay in hospital. If its not one thing its another....Sending prayers your way, and please keep me up to date on your mom as well. I would very much like to stay in touch with you.

  • NoTimeForCancer
    NoTimeForCancer Member Posts: 3,488 Member
    #19
    ren12 said:

    Wow! Our stories are very

    Wow! Our stories are very similar!! They were hoping they would get everything with her surgery, but no such luck. We met with the radiologist today and they will start doing radiation 5 days a week with chemo just on Mondays. They wont start this until at least 6 weeks after her surgery. It's been only 4 weeks so far. I asked him today if they were trying to kill cancer cells or what?? He said there was some that traveled to 4 lymph nodes and where the cervix sat, so that why she needs radiation. Without it the cancer WILL return. She will have a very low dose as they said they are not trying to shrink a tumor but get rid of any left over cancer. She felt very sick last week so she went to her regular DR who told her she had UTI from catheter. She was put on antibiotic, which seemed to help, but she got a call on our way home today that she has bacterial infection from it. Antibiotics wont fix it, so she has to get an IV to get rid of it. Waiting to hear if she can have home health care come to her house and do it or if she needs to stay in hospital. If its not one thing its another....Sending prayers your way, and please keep me up to date on your mom as well. I would very much like to stay in touch with you.

    I'm sorry to hear about the bacterial infection

    You are right about, "if it's not one thing it's another"!  But I think your mother is very lucky to have such a loving, caring daughter.  I am sure your support is so helpful and she is comforted that you are there to help her with this all. 

    As a uterine warrior I have to tell you how important caregivers are.  If my BFF was not with me, I really don't know how I would have made it. 

  • ren12
    ren12 Member Posts: 79
    #20
    NoTimeForCancer said:

    I'm sorry to hear about the bacterial infection

    You are right about, "if it's not one thing it's another"!  But I think your mother is very lucky to have such a loving, caring daughter.  I am sure your support is so helpful and she is comforted that you are there to help her with this all. 

    As a uterine warrior I have to tell you how important caregivers are.  If my BFF was not with me, I really don't know how I would have made it. 

    Thank you for your kind

    Thank you for your kind words. I would be lost without her. How are you doing NoTimeForCancer?

  • shasta34
    shasta34 Member Posts: 14
    #21
    ren12 said:

    Thank you for your kind

    Thank you for your kind words. I would be lost without her. How are you doing NoTimeForCancer?

    I hate to hear about the

    I hate to hear about the infection, your poor mom!!  I hope they get it cleared up soon!  My mom had her first PET scan today, the doctor should be calling by the end of the week with the results, still praying it's nothing more than they thought.  This discussion board has been wonderful, I read my mom story after story of the survivors and the fighters, her attitude is slowly getting better.  She's been positive but just really scared of what we don't know yet, but these stories give her hope so I keep reading them to her!  Like you, I would be lost without my mom also.  She is my best friend, we go everywhere together, I call her for everything, I have 2 small kids ( 6 &11 months) and her advice is priceless.  But we will overcome this, I have given her no choice but to beat it!  I would love to keep in touch with you!  It's good to know we are not alone in this battle.  My best to you nd your mom, praying for the both of you!

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