Am I a survivor?

cervical survivor
cervical survivor Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Gynecological Cancers (other than ovarian and uterine) #1
Please help-I am not sure if I should consider my-self a cancer survivor.

In late April of last year I had my first abnormal pap. The doctor recomended a colposcopy that revealed precancerous cells. A crysurgery (freezing) of the cervix was done and I was to return in 6 months for a re-pap. I returned in November for my re-pap which again revealed abnormal cell changes. I got the call the day before Thanksgiving of this year that the biopsy had revealed cancer. I was referred on to Rochester-Mayo (one of the best hospitals in the world) and an MRI revealed a 2cm tumor on my cervix. With the recommendation from my Doctor and discussion with my family, we choose to do a trachelectomy (removal of the cervix only) and a lymphondectomy (removal of lymph nodes in the surrounding area). I Thank God everyday that the cancer was caught early and my lypmh nodes came back clean so I will not be needing chemo or radiation.
For that reason I am not sure that that I can proudly say that I am a survivor because I see people that go through treatment and have the worst time. The main reason I ask is because the Relay for Life is huge where I live and I have 2 family members that are survivors of cancer, and three that lost the battle. Can I consider myself a survivor and walk the survivor walk?

Comments

  • beckyracn
    beckyracn Member Posts: 322
    #2
    Most definitely! You've been
    Most definitely! You've been touched by this demon and are now free of it...this makes you a survivor! I wish you clean paps for the rest of your life!!!
  • funbeadgirl
    funbeadgirl Member Posts: 181 Member
    #3
    Survivor of cancer
    YES!!! You are a survivor of cancer the minute you are told you have cancer. I wondered the same thing and decided that I had to consider my self a survivor because every day you live with cancer, you have to make decisions, go through tests, treatments, etc. When you do all of that, you are surviving each time. For me, getting past each day, further away from the day that cancer became a part of my vocabulary makes me feel as if I have accommplished something...I hope it does for you too!

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