Silver linings

Morning LJ86

This is absolutely brilliant news! Amazing that you’re nearly at the end of treatment now-I remember when you started and were so down about it. Well done for persevering and getting to this stage and finding out how well the treatment has been going, with your tumour reducing so much. The brachytherapy is like the final hammer blow to it! 

Keep us posted with how you get on on this last stretch, and hope it goes smoothly for you.

Sarah xx

Thank you so much Sarah. You've been supportive from the start and encouraged me all the way. Your an absolute inspiration x

I just hoped to be able to help you see that treatment was worth it, and here you are-you faced your fears and did it even though you didn’t want to. That’s brave. 

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah, that's amazing news. It certainly is the waiting that is the hardest thing.

I am newly diagnosed and as scared as hell about what is going to happen next. Seeing on here how supportive you all are will definitely keep me going as it has for you too.

My Gynaecologist told me yesterday that I will probably need radiotherapy. Not sure if it is the same as what you have had. It's all very new and frightening.

Keep those spirits high hun and go kick this xx

Hi Ruth5413 and welcome to the group!

I think you will have meant to reply to LJ86 as I have had all my treatment but no matter! I’m sorry to hear you’ve had this diagnosis, it’s always a scary time to hear those words. If you’d like to add a little bit of information about yourself you can do this by clicking on your username and using the “profile” button to add your story. If you click on others’ names on here you can read their story if they have completed this information. It helps then for others to see what has brought you here and what stage you’re at in the process. 

You look like you are in that horrible waiting period between diagnosis and completing all the investigations needed for a treatment plan, which is one of the hardest times of all. I’m presuming that you’ve had a biopsy to give you the diagnosis, and the next stage would typically be scans so that the cancer can be staged. The scans will show the size of the tumour and its exact location.

The treatment plan will depend on the stage, although your gynaecologist has suggested that you might need radiotherapy. Does that mean a hysterectomy has already been ruled out? 

We are a very supportive and encouraging group and between us have had a variety of treatments for this cancer. So if you are able to share a little bit more information with us we will hopefully be able to help you through based on our own experiences of treatment. Please feel free to ask any questions you like and we will do our best to help. I’ve been through this twice now, having had a recurrence, so have had a bit more to go through, but many of us have been through the first line of treatment and come out the other side successfully! 

Anyway, you are very welcome to be with us-keep posting and finding out as much as you can from us.

Sarah xx

Sorry Ruth-I see you’ve made a separate post-it’s a bit early for me to be on the ball! My apologies!

Sarah xx

Hi Ruth I'm so sorry to hear that your in this position. I know too well how scary it all is but you will get through this. I'm 35 and when I was diagnosed my whole world came crashing down it was so unexpected. I had An abnormal smear then biopsy then received my diagnosis. I'm not sure what part of the journey you are at lovely so I will share what happened to me and it will hopefully give you a bit of insight. After my diagnoses I was given an gynecology MDT team usually consist of nurses, an oncologist and surgeon I believe there may be a few others but unsure. These people are the specialists in this field they meet weekly and will discuss you as an invidivual, the waiting and the not knowing is hard but try to know they will take the time to discover what treatment is best for you, the nurses will be there if you need to talk or have any questions. I had to attend an MRI scan so they could see it (I'm sorry for the rudeness but I've named it Clint, purely because if you spell the name joining the letters is looks like another word which I think is fitting). Following the MRI I had a PET scan. I was told that fortunately it had not spread but was larger than they thought I was stage 2. Surgery was not an option for me it was decided that I would have chemoradiation treatment over 5 weeks which is external radiation given daily for 5 days and chemo given once per week for five weeks. I know that may sound really daunting and scary. If it is this treatment that you will be having and you want to know more your free to contact me I won't say too much as I'm not sure what you want to hear or know. I will be honest and say when I heard this I was an absolute wreck I had every emotion going and I really struggled I didn't think I could cope or get through I was so overwhelmed but I have found strength I never knew I had I finally see the positives I know I'm going to get through. I remember in the beginning people telling me to stay positive and it made me angry because I could see no positive. People said the waiting is the hardest bit and it really is when I knew what the treatment was and had a date I did start to focus. I remember speaking to some of the woman on here and others who have gone through treatment or further along with their treatment than me and thinking about how incredible they are how they can do it and be so encouraging and supporting of others I admire them every day. I couldn't even say the word cancer in the beginning I didn't want to speak to anyone. Now I find myself going over to people and asking them how they are, telling them about what I've been through and I've been positive and encouraging them. I realised that I'm an incredible woman and I'm so proud of myself. To see where I was in the beginning and where I'm at now. It may not seem like it now hun but you will get to that point also. My treatment started on the 11th April I've taken it one day at a time and on Friday 13th May I finish this part of it. I do have 3 treatments of internal radiation after. As I mentioned I had an MRI Monday, and I think Sarah spoke about me seeing how treatment is worth it. This is because I was so scared in the beginning I didn't want it. I was so overwhelmed I couldn't face it. Sarah was supportive and encouraged me to go through with it and she was right hun to hear that my body has reacted really well to treatment and that it has shrunk was such a relief I can't put it into words. This is a difficult journey but it's one we must take. I got through by having a real supportive network and distancing myself from people who unfortunately for what ever reason didn't lift me, people will react in all kinds of ways try not to worry about them just put yourself first and deal with this in whatever way is best for you. I know we automatically Google but I was advised not to and it didn't help. I did my own research but I stuck to sites that were trustworthy. I read things on days where I was able to cope with the information. I went on a couple mini breaks in the period before treatment, they were great distractions. I have been out with friends. I have spoke honestly about my feelings and I found sharing things helped but each to their own. On days that were not so great I started being kind to myself and telling myself I'm allowed to feel sorry for myself I'm allowed to be angry I'm allowed to ask why me and all those other things. But then I had to pick myself up and go on the next day. I actually started to see the funny side of things during treatment which may sound crazy but it's got me through. My dignity has been none existent past few weeks and I honestly no longer care. I hope you can take some comfort in this. Please feel free to message me at any time. I sincerely hope everything goes well for you Xxx 

Hi LJ 

Very well said and I can't believe how far you've come!! You're an amazing human. ️

Angela xx

Thank you for your reply. It has helped. I will add more about my journey so far when I am not so knackered ha ha x

Thank you Angela so are you. How are things with you xx