I was 24 when I was diagnosed with two types of cervical cancer (squamous and glandular). I was also pregnant. I had no history of cancer in my family and none of the risk factors. I had always had regular check-ups and paps and had just had a normal pap four months before the diagnoses. I had no symptoms. They only found it because I went in for an OB visit (since I knew I was pregnant).
The specialists I saw wanted me to abort the pregnancy. They said they had no documented cases of the survival rates of someone with these two types of cancers (the glandular was the most worrisome) carrying through with the pregnancy and foregoing treatment while pregnant.
It was awful. My husband didn't want to be left to raise our son (who was two at the time) by himself. We didn't know what would happen if I continued with the pregnancy. Would I lose the baby? Would we both die?
I remember crying in the shower asking God not to give us more than we could bear.
We had so many people praying for us - we never would have made it through those months without those prayers.
We decided to continue with the pregnancy and take it one day at a time.
We decided to pursue treatment through both traditional and natural means. I saw a naturopath and followed a strict whole foods diet (all natural, no preservatives, no white sugar, flour, etc) through my pregnancy. We also opted for surgery.
When I was 11 weeks along I went under the knife so they could remove what they could of the tumor on my cervix. They did a cerclage (a minor surgical procedure in which the opening to the cervix or the uterus is stitched closed in order to prevent a miscarriage) at the same time, knowing the surgery would compromise my cervix and the pregnancy.
At twenty weeks along I went into pre-term labor. I was put on drugs to try and stop the contractions. I was also advised strict bed rest. My mom moved in with us to help with my son. The contractions (mild to moderate) continued for 15 weeks but we held her off long enough for her lungs to develop.
My daughter was born at 35 weeks - beautiful and perfect.
A month after she was born, at 24 years of age, I had a hysterectomy to remove what was left of the cancer cells.
My daughter is 9 years old now. She, along with our son, are our miracles.
