"I'm SO glad I didn't go to your site when I was diagnosed!", my friend Judi said to me as we sat down to talk about her experiences with vaginal cancer.  "The information I found there was terrifying, Laura!"  She went on to say that it was vital to her to go through the process of cancer treatment with "a body image that is healable" and that my site wouldn't have contributed to that very important view of herself.  This brought me up short.  It made me want to find out more about Judi's experiences, and what changes I could make to be more supportive of women with vaginal cancer.

Four and a half years ago, Judi was just getting back in the swing of a satisfying career after the birth of her daughter, then 3, and the death of her mother from breast cancer one year earlier.  She was feeling strong and healthy  when during a routine annual checkup, Judi's gynecologist saw something suspicious during the pelvic exam.  She did a biopsy then and there, and told Judi she would get the results back in a few days.

L:  How long did it take to get the results, and what went through your mind in the meantime?

J:  She called me five days later.  I don't tend to dwell on things like that, so didn't think about it much until she called with the results.  I was alone at home when she called.

L: So you were alone when you got the results.  What did you do then?

J:  Well, I sat on it most of the day.  I waited to tell my husband until after my daughter went to bed. I was very sad and frightened.

L: What happened next?

J:  My doctor said she was going to send me to the very best surgeon [a gynecologic oncologist].  In fact, he had been her surgeon.  We had to travel a bit, and he wasn't on my health plan, but she managed to get the insurance to pay for him.

L: What kind of cancer did you have?  Where exactly was it?

J:  It was squamous cell cancer, and it was at the back of my vagina up near the top.  I now realize that I was lucky with both of those things.  At the time, I didn't do a lot of reading or learning about it - and now I'm glad I didn't.  I believed my doctor knew what she was doing, had my best interests in mind, and that she was sending me to the best person to decide on the right course of action.  At that point, the blinders went on, and I narrowed my conversations about my condition to my doctor and the surgeon. I couldn't take in lots of information that I would have to research on my own. I was afraid it would get too confusing.

L:  How was the surgeon?

J:  Well, not a great bedside manner.  His office was always busy, and he worked quickly, but he had an innovative approach. The first time I saw him was after office hours and I called him with questions at any time. He had a great reputation so I had confidence in him.  And my doctor's confidence in him meant a lot.  We got along fine, although I know that wasn't the case with everyone who went to him. Some thought him abrupt.

L: What was the next step?

J:  The surgeon wanted to look around to make sure there was nothing in my abdomen or colon. He said it would be very uncomfortable if I was awake, and gave me a light, general anesthetic. It was not a big deal. I came home the same day. Everything was clear, so two weeks later I had the hysterectomy.

L:  And how long was that from your diagnosis?

J:  Three weeks from the diagnosis to the hysterectomy.

L:  How much was removed during the surgery?

J:  The top part of my vagina, uterus, and ovaries.

L: Was there any talk of preserving your ovaries?

J: People have asked me about that, but at the time, I wanted everything out of there. I didn't want to have to worry in the future. The cancer is so rare, so who really knows what else could happen? The surgeon advised a total hysterectomy, and I went with it.

Next Page > Judi's Recovery > Page 1 2 3

 

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