When we have plans for growing our families, we don’t think about what can happen to our health. We don’t expect routine tests can potentially lead to “no more babies?”. Thankfully with modern medical advancements, treatments for cancer can still provide a chance at carrying another baby if you choose.
Victoria’s story reminds us that there is hope albeit scary after a diagnosis and don’t forget to get your regular pap smears done!
This Mama Beginnings story brought to you by: Victoria
Content warning: Miscarriage and cancer
Experiencing loss
In 2016 my body decided it didn’t want to experience a baby. Yes, I had a miscarriage. This was the hardest thing that I’ve ever had to encounter. My husband and I dealt with such a great loss. It’s way more common than we think!
Pregnancy
2018 – YAY! I’m pregnant! I was crazy cautious the whole entire time. Not wanting to tell a soul and dreading that I was going to experience heartbreak like the last time. Oh, and that morning sickness was awful! The whole 40 weeks, couldn’t smell coffee or onions without wanting to vomit. Keeping food down the first 4 months was insanely difficult.
Birth
Fast forward to June 3, 2019. My baby boy Jude was born! So perfect. 7lbs and 21 inches long. I had midwives which was the best experience and I’m so glad I did this, except when delivery time came Judes heart rate was dropping so rapidly the OB and her team were rushed in to deliver him. He was stuck under my pelvis so they had to use the vacuum for one push. 41 minutes later my baby boy was in my arms – super slimy!
Pap Smear
A month after delivery I was due for my Pap smear. A month later I received a call telling me my pap came back abnormal. Okay, no big deal. I’ve been sent to Juravinski to the colposcopy clinic. I was a patient of theirs for 16 months! Every 4 months I got a biopsy of my cervix, birth canal and uterus. I was then given a LEEP where they remove a cone size shape of your cervix to be sent to get a biopsy.
Radical Life Changer
October 29th, 2020 I got a call that changed my life. I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Cervical cancer. Of course my first thought isn’t “wow, I have cancer” it was “no more babies?”
I went through a few tests and on December 3, 2020 I was told the tumour looks small. I am only 31 and I wanted at least one more baby. It was suggested to me that I have a surgery called a Radical Trachelectomy. They remove the cervix, upper part of the vagina, surrounding tissue and some lymphnodes. Now, if I wasn’t young or I didn’t want any more kids a Radical Hysterectomy would be done.
I of course chose to have a Radical Trachelectomy done to try and save my uterus. This surgery is rare. Only performed 2 to 3 times a year and only 3 hospitals in Canada do it. I am very lucky Juravinski is one of them.
I am now 2 weeks post surgery and feeling pretty good. I won’t know if I’m cancer free until February 9th. UPDATE: Cancer free? – Yes I am! I got every 4 months for a pap and a biopsy for 2 years, and then every 6 months for another 3 years. So I’m considered a cancer patient for 5 years.
More Pregnancies post surgery?
With this surgery they were able to save my uterus, however, it doesn’t mean I’ll be able to have more babies. With out a cervix it makes it difficult to conceive naturally, there’s an increase of miscarriage, and 60% of pregnancies end up with complications for the baby and mother. If I am to conceive again I will be followed by a high risk OB since I don’t have a cervix I can’t deliver vaginally so I will have a scheduled C section and it will most likely be extremely early.
Is this risky? Absolutely. Do I want to try after my one year of being cancer free is up? Heck yes! I am meant to be a mom, my Jude is literally my whole world and he needs a sibling! Am I scared? More than you will ever know.
Moral of this story?
If there is anything you take from this story please go get your Pap smears and ask for an HPV test to be done at the same time. I had zero symptoms and I was still diagnosed with cancer. If I didn’t get it done I would have found out I had cancer too late.
Get your Pap smear, it could save your life!
Thank you Victoria for sharing your experience. Hoping the journey to growing your family doesn’t have many more crazy twists and turns.
Need to talk to someone regarding your own experience? Birth and Postpartum Support Resources here
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