Meaghan

I am a Stage 3B Cervical Cancer Survivor. I created a blog in an effort to raise Cervical Cancer Awareness (www.cancerlost.blogspot.com). I was 28 when I was diagnosed with advanced Cervical Cancer and my story is a long, painful & inspiring one. Cervical Cancer is not talked about but it touches the lives of every single woman out there. We need to start talking about this cancer because it is not rare and it does kill.

My story is a bit lengthy and very unbelievable! I have started a blog that would provide more information than I can put in this short space www.cancerlost.blogspot.com

I was in my second semester of my second year of law school when I went to an OBGYN for a yearly PAP.

This doctor informed me, in an extremely crude way, that I had very advanced cervical cancer (check out my blog for the detailed story of how he told me). I went for a second opinion because there was no way I could have advanced cervical cancer. I was a young, healthy, middle class education women.

I had NEVER had even an abnormal PAP or any type of STD. The second OBGYN I went to assured me I did not have cancer. They didn't know what was wrong but it wasn't cancer. The way this office treated me was horrible. I was passing golf sized blood clots and they were not alarmed. My pain was the worst I have ever experienced and I went into their office several times a week. The only thing I was told is that there was too much blood so they couldn't see anything! I brought friends with me because I thought I was crazy but they heard the same thing as me.

After about a month of terrible treatment by docs. I went to the ER and a CT was finally given to me and I had advanced cancer. The tumor had crushed my ureters causing hydronephrosis and other problems with my kidney. My left kidney had ripped open and all the fluid was spilling into my gut for about a month. In Florida I was in the hospital for a week and then, after blood transfusions, I was flown to Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

My pain team at Dana Farber actually cried when they looked at my records. One doctor said, "How did you endure such pain, I can see this maybe in a third world country but not here" I had chemo, external radiation and internal radiation. I had tubes put in my back and stints in my ureters. All the treatment was horribly painful in many ways (again if you want details you can call or look at my blog).

I tried to locate other women my age who had this advanced cancer but I could find no one. The only women I did find had died. I felt so scared and alone! Now, I am cancer free but I have surgery every three months indefinitely or until they remove my kidney. Life is hard. My insurance company dropped me as soon as they heard I had cancer and I have had to fight them. Who am I , a young person trying to beat cancer, I don't have the energy, resources or time to fight big insurance as well.

There's so much more to my story but not enough space. I am looking for an opportunity to share my story so that other young women understand that cervical cancer is a big deal, it kills, it changes your life. I can never have children and am going through menopause at 30! I want to spread the word about cervical cancer so that people start talking about it more.

Check out Meaghan's charity www.spiritjump.com