A little while ago, my doctor's office called to give me the results of my pap smear. It came back abnormal because, apparently, I have HPV.
For those of you who have been completely oblivious to the women's health commercials, that means that I have an untreatable STI that, at best case, means that my cells are abnormal-- worst case? I have cervical cancer.
That's right, cancer. Not lung cancer from the years of smoking, but hooha cancer.
The best part? I can transmit this to my baby if it is born vaginally. Most of the time, nothing happens. But in a few cases, the baby is born with respiratory papillomatosis, which means that it could have lesions on it's vocal cords causing respiratory issues. Until we know which type of HPV I have, we won't know exactly what to expect. The biggest downside is that they can't get any further information until after the baby is born.
I will have to have a pap smear every 6 months, and they are going to a few tests to see if I have the cancerous version. In August or September. That means that... until then... I get to worry about the safety of my baby and my cervix. Fun!
Most women do not have any symptoms and HPV can only be found when doing a pap smear and checking for cervical cancer. I seriously urge everyone to get checked, even if you have already done so. I have been tested repeatedly over the last few years and this is the first time HPV has shown up. The doctor said that it can lay dormant and then just pop up out of nowhere
They think that it was triggered by my pregnancy, which is good because now I know to get more tests.
Now I get to go to my dentist and have a crown put on. What else is going to suprise me before the baby is born?
3 comments:
Linking here from the huckablog. You may not remember me, but I met you many years ago, and I've been friends with your roommate's sister for close to 10 years. Not to mention I once worked with your roommate. Now that we've got the introductions out of the way (tee-hee), congrats on the baby thing. And, this is where the point really lies, I have a friend who was diagnosed with HPV (the pre-cancerous kind) last summer. It was pretty hard for her, as a single gal. I can't imagine how you must feel now that your baby's health may also be affected. I just wanted to let you know that you are in my thoughts.
Hey! I really do remember you, even though I only saw you a few times.
Thank you so much! When my doctor's team called, they said "Now, don't freak out and go into pre-term labor. That's the last thing you need right now." I got really scared.
We're just going to hope that everything is alright, and if it isn't, that it will be. Everything happens for a reason, and I just have to believe that some good will come out of this.
Can HPV be caused from storing stardust in your Vagina? Because really that is probably the problem right there.
Seriously, you will be fine. I have know several people with HPV, and it always turned out to be nothing. I think I read somewhere that 1 in 4 sexually active people have it.
Oh, and my C-section rocked, AND if you have one you will get an extra two weeks maternity leave that you can take..before you go quit! No worries, you are in my prayers and I am digging the new site.
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