Living Life
  • Blog: Living Life with Cervical Cancer
  • Living Life with Cancer
  • Erica's Story
  • Pictures
  • Media News

#CCAM16 Recap

1/31/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Wow, I set out to publish a blog post for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month every day of the month.  Thirty-one blog posts!  It was quite an undertaking but I think I pulled it off pretty successfully!  

I wrapped up this month at an amazing Cervivor School graduating ceremony for new Cervivor Ambassadors in South Carolina.  I shared that my favorite experience from the weekend was getting to witness a fellow Cervivor Ambassador sister, who is new to the organization, spreading awareness and advocating with factual and accurate information while spending time together on Saturday night.  Tamika has created such an amazing platform, Cervivor, to educate and train advocates in the effort to eradicate cervical cancer.

Today I would like to do two things:  first, I would like to challenge you and second, I would like to recap the information we heard about this month:

First thing is first - a few challenges for you:  
  • If you are a female, I challenge you to schedule your annual well woman exam.
  • If you are a male, I challenge you to talk to at least one female who is important to you and ensure she has scheduled her annual well woman exam.
  • If you are a male or female and you are below the age of 26 and have not received the HPV vaccine, I urge you to speak to your healthcare provider.  You must have received all three shots in order for it to be most effective, if you didn't receive all three shots you don't have to start over!  Please remember, there are three different vaccines commercially available in the United States, however, the most comprehensive vaccine available protects against HPV strands 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 48, and 52, protecting against the types of HPV that cause 90% of genital warts and 90% of HPV-related cancers.  This vaccine also covers the strands which are known to cause penile, anal, oral, and vulvar cancers.
  • If you are a parent, do your research and help prevent future cases of HPV related cancer.  Speak to your healthcare provider about getting the vaccine for your sons and daughters.  If you have any questions I can help direct you to factual evidence regarding this vaccine.  Feel free to comment and/or contact me via email. 

Secondly, lets do a quick recap of the information we heard about this month:

1 - #CCAM Kick Off
2 - Recap:  My Story
3 - Cervical Cancer:  What is it anyway?
4 - Results Day!
5 - Impacting Friends:  No One Fights Alone
6 - Well Woman Exam
7 - Advocacy in the News
8 - Eyes of Another:  Co-worker, Friend, and Cancer Supporter
9 - Cervivor School Hoosier:  Are you ready?
10 - Understanding Basic Test Results
11 - College Friend to Cancer Support
12 - Shout Out:  Support is Key
13 - Abnormal Pap...Questions to Ask
14 - Top Ten Symptoms to Remember
15 - Your Story Matters
16 - Cervivor School Hoosier
17 - Cervivor Fundraiser:  Uno Pizzeria & Grill
18 - The Port
19 - Princess Power
20 - My Mother's Eyes
21 - 1,000 Words
22 - Join Us:  SYL @ Butler
23 - Tears, Anger, & Love: My Sister's Perspective
24 - HPV Myths Busted!
25 - Cancer Support Comes In Many Forms - A Friend's Perspective
26 - Are you pregnant?
27 - Preventing Cancer:  The HPV Vaccine Myths Busted
28 - Cancer, Infertility, and Family - A Husband's Story
29 - Attitude is Everything
30 - Cervical Cancer:  My Photo Story
31 - #CCAM Recap!

I hope that this month has helped you to better understand information related to cervical cancer awareness and I look forward to the rest of the year being fabulous!  Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.  Check out Cervivor's new website too!  If you are a cervical cancer patient or survivor please submit your story to Cervivor.


2 Comments

Cervical Cancer - My Photo Story

1/30/2016

51 Comments

 
As #CCAM is wrapping up, I wanted to share some special pieces of my story in photo form. I hope that you continue to help spread awareness about cervical cancer year round and if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me.  I'm an open book!
51 Comments

Attitude is Everything

1/29/2016

3 Comments

 
Picture
This morning I ran across a post that said "Attitude is the difference between and ordeal and an adventure."  I saw that message and it really resonated with me.  I immediately told the individual I was going to need to use that to put onto a picture.  As I was sitting on a plane heading to Cervivor School South I decided that I need to do more than just make a graphic with the quote.  I wanted to write about it.

People always tells me that they think I am so strong, they think I'm an inspiration, they don't know how I do it.  When I saw this quote today it made me stop and think.  I am not any stronger than you would be.  I am not any more inspiring than you would be.  I also know, that you could do it too!  It is all about your attitude.  I never imagined that I had any other choice than to live life the way I do.  I try to fully embrace life and have a positive attitude whenever possible.

Does that mean I am always positive?  No.  Does that mean there is never a time that I am worried that I am going to make the wrong decision during my continued treatments?  No.  Weekly, if not daily, I am concerned and wondering if the Avastin is working by maintaining the cancer the size it is and preventing it from spreading.

If you see or talk to me on a daily basis you know that I make jokes about dying, underneath those jokes are fears.  Fears that the cancer is going to take my life too soon.  Fears that my husband will lose me and my son.  Fears that my son will lose me.  However, I don't dwell on those fears.

A positive attitude is key.  As I said, reading the following really resonated with me:  Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure.

I plan to, moving forward, focus on my life as an adventure.  Focus on my cancer as an adventure and not an ordeal.

​I challenge you - make your life an adventure and not an ordeal.  Focus on the small things as positive experiences.


3 Comments

Cancer, Infertility, and Family - A Husband's Story

1/28/2016

3 Comments

 
Picture
I never thought when I started this blog I would be having guest bloggers, yet today my gust blogger is my husband JR.  I never thought I would be using this blog as an advocacy tool.  I also never thought that writing this blog would teach me things.  This blog post taught me something about true love, commitment, and how it can be enhanced in spite of a cancer battle.  JR surprised me by writing the most beautiful blog post I could have ever wished for.  He had been working on it and I looked at it once during his work in progress.  I was amazed and also shocked.  I read things I never knew.  

I know cancer impacts family and friends, however, it is something people don't talk about.  Our family goes together monthly to a cancer support supper club and then JR goes to a caregivers group while Wylee attends a group for children whose parents have cancer.  The point of the caregivers group is for the caregivers to focus on him or herself.  Although he might not admit it, I think it is beneficial for him.  JR, from the beginning of my cancer battle, has been more than I could have ever asked for in a caregiver.  We were just starting to date again when I was diagnosed.  He never verbalized anything except support.  It was striking to me to see how JR expresses his apprehension when I was first diagnosed.  His fear at the loss of my fertility, and with it his fears of a loss of the option of a family.  JR has fully embraced his role as father to Wylee and Wylee has fully accepted JR as Daddy.  They are inseparable with the exception of when Wylee visits New Albany.  Together they are a team and they take care of me as well as possible.  I love both of them dearly. - Erica


Cancer can give and take. My wife has been going through cancer, it first began in October 2012 when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She has shown great resiliency through the entire treatment process.  For this moment though, I want to be selfish and express how cervical cancer has affected my life as a male, father, and husband.  


Erica and I met in college dated for a couple of years then separated.  She had moved to her hometown, married, and had a child.  A few years later, she had divorced and I had reconnected with her.  It seemed as if nothing had changed, we were in love again and destined to be together forever.  I had originally labeled her as "the one that got away" and knew I would marry her this time.  I knew I would marry her, until the diagnosis made me question it, until October 2012.  She was diagnosed with cervical cancer, this curse that had plagued my grandmothers, aunts, uncle and grandfather had now entered our lives.

Cancer is defined as; a disease that abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. 

That really meant nothing to me since I had been around cancer many times during my life with my family.  Just in my immediate family, it seemed, someone had always had cancer and some of them still live with cancer today.  From experience I thought that it was a disease that can be beat with medicine, stubbornness, and determination.  This time it was different.  This was my family to be and my family was experiencing pain and suffering that I had never felt before.  The doctors told her that she would lose her fertility and need a hysterectomy to cure the cancer.  I wasn't ready for that news.  I never told anyone that I wanted children, in fact for many years I had been trying to avoid an accidental pregnancy and now it was to be stricken from my thoughts, options, and wants.

I was sitting at a stop light on Fox Road, Erica looked at me and said that she was going to have a hysterectomy to cure her cancer.  I had a moment of weakness that made me doubt my relationship with my wife to be, not because of temptation, it was due to fertility and sustainability.  I wanted to be a great father that loved his kids yet I wouldn't be able to have children with the woman that I loved and wanted to marry. 

After researching, we discovered a procedure called a radical trachelectomy.  This procedure was available in Indianapolis and would allow for a chance to conceive, a slim chance to carry to term, and even less of a chance to actually birth a child. I thought if there is a chance it is better than nothing at all. I put stock into what the gynecologic oncologist said when he thought Erica was a perfect candidate.  

The day of surgery, she laid upside down, unconscious for 16 hours and after 4 hours of recovery her doctor emerged from his mask.  He said that she had the tumor, pelvic lymphnodes, and cervix removed, she will be in pain but we are confident that surgery was a success.  I did say to the doctor before surgery, she is more important to me than fictional children that only existed in my mind, but I never thought what risk she took for me.  She literally took the high road with her life, not within a conversation or argument, she put her self in front of the sword risking life and limb for our family.  It was my dream of family that I had never verbally expressed to her, yet she sacrificed herself for us.  What she gave up and endured to allow me hope for a chance of child was beyond compassion.  It was truly love.
After the healing process, we moved on with our lives, we were engaged and due to marry June 2014.  Life seemed to be normal as we had moved into a new house, she had a new job, her son started started preschool and started calling me Daddy.  Our sense of normalcy would quickly end in April 2014.

After months of irregular bleeding with urination and multiple doctor visits, her urologist ordered a scan that revealed multiple tumors.  These masses had destroyed some of her internal organs and invaded in the worst way.  Not because of the pain, not because of the chemotherapy or radiation to come.  These tumors had eliminated any chance of offspring.  The original cancer treatment had taken a 16 hour surgery and 6 months of recovery; this recurrence had taken the hope of having a normal life, the hope of future children, the hope of a cancer free wife, and squashed all of it in the worst way.  

Something was different with the recurrences though, not physically, emotionally as I thought of stepping away with the initial diagnosis due to the inability to procreate.  This time, I had no inclination or want of doing anything but standing by Erica's side.  We were married after her first chemotherapy treatment, with a nephrostomy tube coming out of her back, and no hair on her head.  She had chemotherapy just days after the wedding.  However, I never thought to be anywhere except by my wife's side.  Loving, caring and supporting her and my step son, our son Wylee.  I embrace every moment with my family and love both of them more than I ever could have imagined.  In some sick and twisted way, as horrible of a disease that cancer is and has been, it has brought the three of us closer and more dependent upon each other. 
​

I may have dreamed or wanted before but nothing is for certain.  I thought, before this journey began, I knew what I wanted.  What I have learned since is that cancer may have destroyed my dream but it has enhanced my love, which is a reality.

Picture
Picture
3 Comments

Preventing Cancer:  HPV Vaccine Myths Busted

1/27/2016

215 Comments

 
Picture
Today's blog post is going to address some myths running around about the HPV vaccine.  This vaccine can help eradicate cervical cancer.  The vast majority of cervical cancer cases are linked back to HPV.  There are additional cancers which are linked to HPV including oral, penile, anal, and vulvar.  In addition to the high risk strands which cause these cancers, there are additional strands which cause genital warts.  Please take the time to do your research and discuss the HPV vaccine with your healthcare provider for yourself and/or your children.  Remember, this vaccine is for both men and women.  HPV is not just a female concern.  It is a human concern!  Earlier this week I posted about HPV myths and I have done extensive research and linked to several peer reviewed reputable sources in this post.

Myth:  
There is only one HPV vaccine.

Reality:  There are currently three HPV vaccines on the market in the United States:  Gardasil 9, Gardasil, and Cervarix.  It is possible to select which HPV vaccine you wish to have, and/or wish for your child to have.  Gardasil 9 protects against HPV strands 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 48, and 52, protecting against the types of HPV that cause 90% of genital warts and 90% of HPV-related cancers.  Gardasil protects against HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18, protecting against approximately 70% of all cervical cancers and 90% of all genital warts.  Cervarix protects against HPV 16 and 18, these strands cause approximately 70% of all cervical cancers.

Myth:  I already have HPV, there is no reason for me to get the vaccine.

​Reality: According to the CDC, there are over 150 strands, currently identified, which make up the HPV label.  Each vaccine available protects against multiple high risk strands of HPV. 

Myth:  The HPV vaccine can make pre-existing HPV infections worse.

Reality:  There is no credible medical documentation that supports the myth that the HPV vaccine can make pre-existing HPV infections worse. 

Myth:  The HPV vaccine is a free pass for promiscuity, so I will just wait until my child becomes sexually active.

Reality:  This vaccine is not a free pass for your child to become sexually active.  This vaccine is designed to prevent individuals from contracting and spreading a virus which causes cancer.  It is best to receive the vaccine before any sort of sexual interaction occurs, especially since it is transmitted by intimate skin-to-skin contact.  No one wants to think about their children having sex, but this vaccine isn't about sex it is about saving lives.  The CDC put out a great graphic touching on this key topic.  It is found at the bottom of this blog post.

Myth:  HPV only affects females, so males do not need the vaccine.

Reality:  This is a misnomer, there is not a commercially available test for men to determine if a male is carrying HPV.  However, men do contract and carry HPV.  Men typically do not have symptoms when they carry HPV.  Some strands of HPV can cause genital warts in men.  Few strands of HPV can cause cancer in men such as oral, anal, or penile.  Gardasil 9 protects against HPV strands 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 48, and 52, protecting against the types of HPV that cause 90% of genital warts and 90% of HPV-related cancers. 

Myth:  The HPV vaccine causes life long side effects and has caused many deaths.

Reality:  According to the CDC, the only common side effects correlated with the HPV vaccines include:  pain, redness, or swelling in the arm where the shot was given, fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, muscle or joint pain.  All of these are side effects which are not identified as life long side effects.  There are no reputable medical resources which document life long side effects or deaths related to receiving a HPV vaccine.  The CDC covers, in depth, safety concerns related to the HPV vaccine.

Myth:  The HPV vaccine does not have enough medical research.

Reality:  The HPV vaccine has had extensive medical research completed, here is a document from the CDC with an overview of information related to the research.  Here is additional CDC information available related to the safety and validity of the HPV vaccine.

Myth:  Getting my child vaccinated for HPV means I am giving him/her permission to be sexually active.

Reality:  Providing your child with this vaccine does not give them a green light to become sexually active.  Here is a document, provided by the CDC, for doctors to help explain the benefits of the HPV vaccine to parents.

Myth:  My child won't have sex until marriage, they don't need the HPV vaccine.

Reality:  Even if an individual doesn't have sex until marriage, the HPV vaccine is still going to be a beneficial tool in ensuring they do not contract HPV.  Remember, HPV is not spread through bodily fluids, it is spread through skin to skin contact.  He/she could contract HPV without having intercourse, even if they wait until marriage for intercourse.

Myth:  The HPV vaccine can cause an HPV infection.

Reality:  The HPV vaccine is made from one protein from the HPV virus that is not infectious (cannot cause HPV infection) and nononcogenic (does not cause cancer).

Picture
Picture
215 Comments

Are you pregnant?

1/26/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Are you pregnant?  Those three words are words no woman who is not pregnant wants to hear.  Those three words are are especially difficult for someone who has undergone treatment for cervical cancer.  The majority of treatments for cervical cancer leave you infertile.  I know, personally, this is something that is very hard mentally that doesn't just go away.

When I was originally diagnosed at the age of 27 I was told my only option was a hysterectomy.  I did my research and found that there was a gynecologic oncologist in Indianapolis who could potentially perform a trachelectomy, if I was a viable candidate, which could theoretically preserve my fertility.  This was the path of my original diagnosis.  I had my surgery November 2012 and I tried to put cancer in my past.  In May 2013 Wylee and I moved to Indianapolis to live with my, now, husband JR.  While on vacation in Las Vegas, JR proposed in June 2013.  Everything seemed to be on track.  I was cancer free, engaged, fertile, and living life.  I was winning at life.  Wylee would ask if we could have a baby.  He wanted a younger brother and/or sister.  I told him "after the wedding" we could have a baby.  I had no idea what was in store for my family.  Two months before our wedding came the news in April 2014 that the cancer had returned with a vengeance.  This time there was no surgical option and we had to start treatment immediately.  I had the conversation with JR that this meant no more children.  He told me that no treatment meant no more me.  So, we moved forward immediately with treatment.  The idea of another child died at that moment.  On a day during the summer after the wedding Wylee asked me when we could have a baby.  I can vividly remember sitting there bald and sick from treatments and explaining to my five year old why his mommy couldn't have any more children.  Explaining that because of the type of cancer I had, I had treatments which meant I couldn't give him the younger brother and/or sister he had once asked for.  It was devastating for our family to have to have that conversation.  I felt like I failed him.

Monday of this week I heard those three words, directed at me.  "Are you pregnant?"  Due to this question, I was able to teach a sixth grade student a life lesson.  You should never, ever, ask a woman if she is pregnant if you have not been told directly, by her, that she is pregnant or you are attending her baby shower.  When this student asked if I was pregnant I simply said no and went on with working with another student.  At the conclusion of class I called the student over so we could have a conversation one-on-one about why it isn't an appropriate question to ask and how someone younger or more easily offended might have reacted to such a question.  We also discussed that, as he knew, I have cancer and I'm unable to have any more children.  We talked about how you don't know what someone is going through and it isn't something to ask someone.  I hope that he remembers the lesson I taught today.

Now, this question led to me reflecting a little about my cancer battle.  When I was diagnosed with cancer for the second time a fellow staff member found out I would be out of the building.  They, innocently, asked if I was pregnant.  I was newly diagnosed the my recurrence and reacted with the response of "no, actually the opposite I have cervical cancer again and I'm losing my fertility."  That pretty quickly ended the conversation.

I have yet another example where someone has asked me this.  I was at a bar we enjoy visiting, owned by friends of ours, having lunch and watching football last Sunday.  A person who knows me by sight, but not name, came up to me and asked "how is the baby?"  I told him our son was six.  I assumed that would stop the conversation.  It did not, he asked again saying he thought I had a baby last summer.  I just reassured him that our son was six and I didn't have a baby last summer.  I planned to leave it at that, I don't know this person really and I was enjoying a day out with my friends so I just wanted to stop engaging in conversation.  He then went to my husband and asked again.  Really?  Did he think I was lying to him?  My husband let him know that we did not, in fact, have a baby last year.  My husband then went on to let him know that I have been in a continuous battle with cervical cancer and couldn't have any more children.  I am hoping that person learned a life lesson that day too.  You really don't know what someone is going through, if they don't engage in conversation about a particular topic you should probably drop it.

I picked the picture for today's blog purposefully.  Although I obviously am not a super fit and slim woman I am proud of my body and do not feel that I appear to be pregnant (even if I did appear to be pregnant, it is not okay to ask).  My body tells a story, it shows my scars, and I am proud of it.  It tells a story about motherhood, obesity and weight loss, as well as multiple battles with cancer.  You can look forward to an upcoming blog post about scars.  

I absolutely believe none of the people I mentioned today were attempting to be malicious.  I think the question of "are you pregnant" is just something people inquire about and for some reason they think is totally appropriate.  However, it isn't a question like "did you get a haircut?"  It is a really personal question.  You never know what someone is going through.

I, personally, have never been brought to tears by this question.  I try to not dwell on it.  However, it was weighing enough on my mind that I needed to write this.  It is weighing enough on my mind that when I took off the dress I was wearing when I was asked that question I seriously considered getting rid of it.  

As I think about this question, it is much more than just about me.  I think about my friends who have been devastated to find out that they can no longer have children due to cervical cancer treatments.  I think about my husband who I can't give another child to, due to my cancer recurrences and subsequent treatments.  I think about my son, who desperately wants a younger sister and/or brother.  The loss of fertility is another thing which makes cervical cancer treatments devastating.  In fact, there are multiple women on Cervivor who have opened up about how the loss of fertility has really impacted each of them.

I really hope that you take the time to visit Cervivor and see the stories of the women who have opened up about how the loss of fertility can really have an impact.  You can now filter stories on Cervivor based on area of interest.  It is really a fabulous feature.

Number one take away - never, ever, ask a woman if she is pregnant unless you see she is literally having the baby.  You never know what she is going through and how that question might impact her.

2 Comments

Cancer Support Comes in Many Forms:  Friend's Perspective

1/25/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
​As you know, as a part of #CCAM I wanted to touch on how cancer impacts not only the person but family and friends of an individual with cancer as well.  This special blog is written by a woman who I met right after I was hired at the school I currently work at.  Little did we know at that time we would become part of a great circle of friends! I am so thankful to have such a dedicated team of friends and family, each who play an important role in my life.  I hope you take a few moments to see how Jessie's life, as one of my great friends, has been impacted due to my experience with cervical cancer. - Erica

I met Erica in May of 2013.  I was asked to attend a luncheon with our principal, the special education director, Stefanie, and a new special education teacher that would be joining our school (the awesome Ms. Erica).  Little did I know that this luncheon would change the course of my friendships forever. 
When I met Erica, she was so put together that I thought she was older than me.  We also had a lot in common.  We both went to Ball State.  We both were teachers, and we both had kids around the same age.  We both had significant others who were pretty outstanding men.  She became a close friend in December 2013 after a very interesting Indiana Ice game.    
When I heard that Erica had cancer in April 2014, it rocked me.  I had heard about her first time with caner and how she had beaten it, so I was thinking that it would be a piece of cake.  Surgery, maybe a little radiation.  Good to go.  She could do this again and beat it again.  She’s one of the strongest people I know.  I never thought for a moment at first that she would be anything, but quick and painless.  Then, I heard the diagnosis of how bad the cancer was this time around, and I was scared.  How could cancer grow that fast in such a short amount of time?  What was going to happen?  
The hardest part for me was not being able to do more.  I didn’t want to show my fear to her, so I tried to be there for her in any and every way that I could be.  We would have Wylee, her son, over to play with our kids.  I’d take him home with us from school when she had appointments or needed some time.  Erica would call me to get away, and I would drop what I was doing, which was usually nothing, and go hang out with her, take her out, go shopping, whatever it was that she wanted to do.  At her wedding, I helped with baking pies and running people to and from the wedding site and hauling kegs. 
I only made one appearance at her chemo treatments, but it was quite an eventful one.  The nurse who was administering her chemo accidentally spilled a couple tiny drops on my flip flop when she was attaching it to the IV.  I didn’t think anything of it.  I had brought my computer to watch movies with Erica, and I had planned to be there all day.   Within an hour, I was in bathroom, vomiting profusely.  I ended up in the ER downstairs from the chemo ward – JR having to drive me in a wheelchair through the back channels of the hospital.  I had never been so sick, so fast and didn’t realize it could have been from the chemo barely touching my skin.  If this tiny amount of chemo could make me this sick, I could not imagine how Erica was putting this into her body and still managing to be so strong.  She was incredible. 
I think the biggest thing that someone can do when their friend is battling cancer is to be there for them.  Go out.  Stay in.  Watch a movie.  Go shopping.  Make them laugh.  Erica has the greatest sense of humor.  She hasn’t let the cancer take that away.  She’s the strongest person I’ve ever met.  There are days that I wish I could do more for her, but being her friend is the best gift I could ever ask for and I’ll do anything that I can to protect this amazing woman.  She is incredible.  She is strong.  She is remarkable.  She shows me how to live each and every day.  

--Jessie



2 Comments

HPV Myths Busted!

1/24/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
Myth:  All HPV is the same.

Truth:  According to the CDC, as of 2015 there are over 150 strands of viruses which fall under the label HPV.  The majority of the strands do not cause any known effects.  Some strands cause a variety of types of cancer while other strands cause warts.

Myth:  HPV is only contracted through intercourse.

Truth:  HPV is so easily contracted it can be transmitted through skin-to-skin intimate contact.  Remember way back before you were sexually active and you thought "oh, it didn't go in so I am still a virgin"  OR "that didn't count as sex"...well HPV is so easily transmitted you could contract HPV without having intercourse!

Myth:  HPV only causes cervical cancer.

Truth:  Of the over 150 strands of the virus which fall under the label of HPV only some cause cancer.  Some strands can cause genital warts, these strands are different from the strands that cause cancer.  There are strands, many strands, which don't cause any symptoms.  There are high risks strands, which there is a vaccine to prevent, which cause cancer.  Fact, these strands don't only cause cervical cancer but are also linked to vaginal, vulvar, throat, anal, and penile cancers.

Myth:  Only promiscuous people get HPV.

Truth:  I know more than one woman who had never had sexual intercourse before marriage, yet she contracted HPV which ultimately developed into cervical cancer.  This is not a virus that only promiscuous people get.  As we learned above, it is passed through skin-to-skin intimate contact.  According to The Cleaveland Clinic, 80% of the population will be infected with HPV at some point during their life.

Myth:  Condoms prevent HPV 100% of the time.

Truth:  Since HPV isn't contacted through the sharing of bodily fluids I am sure how you can see that condoms are not 100% effective at stopping the spread of HPV.  Obviously, they help minimize contact, however, they are not 100% effective at stopping the spread of HPV.

Myth:  HPV is always cleared by your body and will always go away on its own.

Truth:  Many individuals can clear HPV on their own and will not need any further treatment.  Strands of HPV can lie dormant in your body and, if not active, will not be detected using the HPV tests which are available.  High risk strands don't automatically mean the strand will develop into a serious issue.  I think this is important to note, my doctors told me for years that my abnormal paps were probably not something to worry about and most people could clear the virus on their own without medical intervention.  It is important to advocate for yourself and ask to go on a more frequent testing schedule if you are having abnormal Paps or have tested positive for HPV.

Myth:  There is a cure for HPV.

Truth:  There is no cure for HPV.  However, there are multiple preventative vaccines available which can prevent the known high risk strands.  I will be doing a post for #CCAM about myths and truths of the vaccine as well.

Myth:  Positive HPV means you will definitely develop cervical cancer.

Truth:  A positive HPV test or abnormal Pap does not mean you will automatically develop cervical cancer.  It does mean you need to check in with your OB-GYN more frequently.  It also means you should be aware of your body and watch for concerning symptoms.

Myth:  If you have HPV, there is no way to know which type of HPV you have.

Truth:  There is a screening test available, to women, which can identify if you have high risk or low risk strands of HPV.  You can ask for this test.  This test is recommended if you have Pap test abnormalities or as a co-test once you hit 30 years of age.

2 Comments

Tears, Anger, and Love:  My Sister's Perspective

1/23/2016

18 Comments

 
Picture
As part of my #CCAM posts I asked some friends and family to tell about my cancer diagnosis from their point of view.  Today we will hear from my sister, Jennifer Rogers, as she reflects about what it was like when I was originally diagnosed and during my continued treatments.  It was enlightening to read about how this has impacted her.  Many of you don't know this but I lived with my father starting in middle school and my sisters lived with our mother.  So, we were raised in separate households.  We weren't particularly close, I left and went to college, and I haven't lived in the same town as them since I was 11 years old.  Cancer has brought us closer together.  She talks about anger in this post, it is the first time she has ever vocalized having anger with me about my treatment choices.  These guest blog posts have been really enlightening.  I wouldn't wish cancer on anyone, but if you have to have cancer I hope your support system is as supportive as mine - Erica

I’m amazed at how many different emotions surface when I’m not even the one who has cancer. When my sister was first diagnosed with cervical cancer I avoided it completely. Her treatment plan at that time made my reaction easier. It’s easy to avoid the fact that your sister has cancer when her treatment plan consisted of surgery and potentially small amounts of chemo, which she didn't end up needing at that time.  From the outside looking in, the treatment didn’t seem to affect her body.

The second time she was diagnosed I was scared. This time it was in more areas of her body and she fought the cancer more aggressively, which in return made her lose her hair. She was sick and hospitalized after her chemo treatments; she opened up about not being able to eat, and about how physically drained she felt. She also had radiation this time. All of these terms that you hear were now a part of Erica’s treatment plan…the cancer was “actually there” this time, and it was hurting my sister.

The third time my sister was diagnosed with cancer I was MAD. I’m not sure who exactly my anger was directed toward. At times it was directed toward God, and then redirected toward Satan. Sometimes it was directed toward the cancer itself, other times I let my anger be directed toward my sister. How in the world would she choose to not get a hysterectomy when she was first diagnosed? Why is she choosing to not fight it aggressively this time? What….we’re just going to “live with cancer” now? My sister’s answers to these questions made me mad, not because she’s choosing the wrong answer, but because I don’t want the cancer to take my sister away from me.

My sister’s third diagnosis seems like a thing of the past, like we’ve moved on from it. The anger is gone, the sadness is gone (mostly…I’m a cryer and my sister has cancer, so I cry.) I’m no longer avoiding the fact that she has cancer; it’s more like I’m accepting it. I’ve learned to accept the path that Erica’s taking and walk along it with her. I talk to my sister more and am more interested in her life now than I ever was when she didn’t have cancer; it should never take something so serious to give us the desire to strengthen a relationship. I love my sister deeply, and I honestly feel like I didn’t let that show until I was afraid of losing her. No sulking in the past though, we’re pressing on. From now on, my husband and I are here to help serve my sister in any way she needs, which most recently has been with assisting her in advocating and spreading awareness of cervical cancer. Advocating has helped to keep her grounded and focused.

She’s still getting Avastin treatments to keep the cancer where it is & prevent growth, I guess she always will until we get news of a miracle (Matthew 19:26, with God all things are possible) or the cancer decides to make her choose to fight aggressively again. Anything’s possible. Until then, Erica will continue to share her story as boldly as she can and frequent her Cancer Card, even when our younger sister and I veto it…hey, that thing has got to expire sometime! (laughter helps ☺)

-Jennifer

18 Comments

Join Us:  SYL @ Butler

1/22/2016

70 Comments

 
Picture
Someone You Love: The HPV Epidemic is such a powerful documentary, I truly believe everyone should see it! Are you local to Indianapolis? You are in luck! As part of the cervical cancer awareness initiative Butler University is hosting a free public screening of the SYL documentary. Along with the documentary, there will be a panel of experts in attendance for a Q&A session after the viewing. Panelists will include Butler’s own Dr. Maria Fletcher, Physician at Butler University Health Services and Dr. Gregory Zimet, Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Psychology at Indiana University School of Medicine and Co-Director of the IUPUI Center for HPV Research along with myself, local Cervivor Ambassador. That's right, I will be on the panel and ready to answer your questions! We will even have a table setup for Cervivor where you can meet fellow Cervivor Ambassador, Melissa Beeson.
 HPV may be the most widespread, misunderstood and potentially dangerous epidemic that most people hardly know anything about. 80 percent of all people under 50 years of age will have a strain of the virus at some point in their lives and most will not even realize they have it. ​
Q.  Why should I go and see Someone You Love?

A.  Someone You Love is an amazing documentary which is designed to bring the HPV epidemic to the surface!  It is estimated that 80% of all people, under 50 years of age will have a strain of the virus at some point during their lives!  That is right.  Take a look at any group of ten people and eight of them will contract a strain of HPV at some point during his/her life!

Q.  Why should I care about HPV?

A.  HPV is linked to the majority of cervical cancer cases, in addition to vaginal, vulvar, anal, throat, and penile cancers.  This virus does not discriminate and can impact your life!  Worldwide, cervical cancer alone kills over 250,000 women every year. In this powerful film, you will meet five unforgettable women whose lives have been changed forever and even interrupted by this deadly virus.

Q.  Who is invited?

A.  The public is welcome at this free screening of SYL, hosted by Butler University.

Q.  What are the details about the screening?

A.  The SYL screening will be Tuesday, January 26 at 6:00 PM in the Atherton Union Reilly Room at Butler University.

Q.  Do I have to sign up?

A.  Yes, you will need to sign up for this event.  Please follow this link to get your free ticket for this public screening. 
​
Will you be coming to this screening?  I'd love to see you.  Please leave me a comment if you are joining us for the screening.
70 Comments
<<Previous

    Author

    Erica is a 32 year old cervical cancer advocate who is out living cancer for the third time. When she isn’t advocating for cervical cancer and HPV awareness as a Cervivor Ambassador, she previously oversaw the STEM program at the school where she was an educator; she now helps coordinate the robotics program. Erica enjoys spending time with her husband and son in their Indianapolis neighborhood, as well as pursuing new and adventurous hobbies. She can most recently be found fawning over kayaks and daydreaming of returning to whitewater kayaking with First Descents, an organization for young adults impacted by cancer. 

    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    Categories

    All
    Cervical Cancer
    Chemo
    Hospital
    Nephrostomy
    Photography
    Surgery

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.