Are the Survivors fortunate enough to smile at life once again?

Real People Stories – Yadira 

I was looking for CA125 testing testimonies that would help me understand what I face, and that’s how I found these testimonies. And mostly from HPV Test survivors who are fortunate enough to smile at life once again. In March 2018, they detected an HPV tumour in my ovary, and my process has not been easy; I have been here a year since that day, and I cannot finish this story.

It has been difficult for me because I have wanted to keep my problems to myself, going to the doctor alone and undergoing treatments alone,…

In April 2018, I had my first operation. And after that, they gave me radiotherapy for a month, and I rested for a month. Month. Tiredness, nausea, and the urge to cry always go hand in hand with me, and that is difficult to hide.

Another operation

Last week I had another surgery, and I am already working 4 days away from spending 5 hours in the operating room, that makes me think that I am more committed to the world than to myself, and it scares me.

They have given me the CA125 test news and that I am going to start chemo. I think my path alone ends here because then I will start to lose weight, lose my hair and my eyebrows and lose strength (according to what they tell me and what I have seen during a year of visiting the cancer hospital). I will no longer be able to hide my CA125 illness from anyone. Also, I want to be able to say, like the testimonies I have read, that thank God I have come out of this test thing called HPV Viral cancer, but today, I find myself lost and thoughtful about what awaits me.

I want my Dad

And I want to run into my dad’s arms and tell him that I am suffering, that it hurts a lot, that I want him to cuddle me and take care of me, that I need him. I want to quit my job and dedicate myself to myself, my body, my health, and my mind that doesn’t let me rest with so many thoughts, mostly negative.

Furthermore, I know this space is not to express feelings, but there may be someone who understands me and others who pray for all the people going through this.

Life is full of surprises and I hope soon I will be surprised that I am healthy again!!!

Greetings to all. If you are like me, looking for testimonies, and you come across mine, ignore it; it was just a minute of depression, and surely tomorrow will be a better day.

JAVIERA 

Hello, my name is Javiera, and I am 22 years old. At 21, I was diagnosed with high ovarian CA125 levels and then cancer.

I had tested with an HPV-type dangerous tumour, which measured approximately 30 cm and weighed 4kg. My physical structure is very thin, so it was very painful to be able to carry it; my abdomen was very bulging, my self-esteem went to the ground, and I went through a very distressing stage.

From being a healthy young woman full of life who studied and worked a few days ago, I had finished my third year of engineering, to being hospitalised with CA125 issues for days and days.

My Surgery

I had surgery on January 28, 2019; my operation lasted 5 hours, as the tumour was malignant, and I lost my left ovary, lymph nodes in both pelvises, appendix, and omentum.

It is hard to go through the process of CA125-induced cancer so young; when I heard the news, I thought I was going to die, and the world came crashing down on me, many times we make the mistake of thinking that because we are young, we are immune to this or that we are immortal, but no. It’s like that. I got an HPV viral disease when I was 21, which usually affects women who are close to menopause.

The containment and support of our loved ones is essential.

Almost 5 months after the operation, I am much more recovered. I see life differently, and it has changed me 100%. To all the people who are going through the same thing, I want you to know that you are not alone, lots of encouragement and strength! After the storm, no matter how strong it is, the sun will always come out, whether they are happy with or without HPV-connected cancer because the important thing is that they are alive.

Vicky

Hello, my name is Vicky, and I am 34 years old. I was diagnosed when I was 33. Almost 6 months ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. It all started during my pregnancy. My gynaecologist saw a one mm lump on the ultrasound, and he only told me that it was a ball of water…

At week 35, the 1mm ball was 25 x 23 cm…

In the ultrasound, my baby could not be seen except only the ball. At week 35 of pregnancy, one day, I woke up with horrible pain. In my belly and back, I was in a bit of a hurry because I thought something was wrong with my baby. I went to the HPV gynaecologist, and he admitted me that same day. On July 22, 2020, I gave birth to a beautiful girl through a cesarean section. So what was the surprise that before they took my daughter out of the womb, the water ball exploded, and they had to aspirate horrible black water from me?

They remove parts of me.

The Doctor removed 1 ovary that looked swollen and horrible. And they took everything to pathology. But that same week, my gynaecologist, Vicky, spoke to me on Sunday. She said it was not a ball of water. She said I had bad news. My husband and I went to the Lab office. And there the bomb fell, ca stage I, well differentiated.

I didn’t know what was happening; we didn’t know where to start, and we started this. Visit 1 to the oncologist; that’s when I knew it was cancer. The treatment will be 4 cycles of chemo, 1 operation and 2 more cycles.

The 1st chemo

Okay, here I am; you will be done. The 2,3,4, I couldn’t handle my body anymore. The loss of hair, eyebrows, and eyelashes was traumatic. It’s horrible to see you greyer and duller every day and to see my photos of how pretty I was and what I had become.

It is something horrible that the health system does not have your medicine. But thank God, I could take it in the private sector. I finished my cycles, and now I have an operation. I wanted another baby, but God knows why I did things. They did me a hysterectomy. And my recovery was very fast. But they took everything to pathology, and thank God I am now free of cancer. And now I only have 2 cycles left and check-ups for life, praying to God that it never comes back, of course.

This changes the life.

Still, the quicker and more timely it is detected, the easier it is to move forward. I am infinitely grateful to God, my daughter, my husband, my parents, and my mother-in-law for being with me in this. For without them, I don’t know what would be of me.

There is hope. You have to take the bull by the horns, and girls, hair grows, but life doesn’t! So let’s give it.