I just thought I would make post on how important pap smears are for women. Your first gyno visit comes when you either become sexually active or turn 18, which ever comes first. I was in my graduating year of High School and was with the same guy since I was 13. He took my virginity away and I wasen't with anyone other than him. I was always hesitant about going to the gyno and stuff like that, but all my friends decided to go on the pill and I made that decision as well. To get there pill where I live you have to see a gyno first, so I did. I got the pap test and a breast exam all at once! I do have to say it was overwhelming, but nothing to fret about. The nurse told me to call back in 2 weeks to get my results back for the std test and about a month for the results form the cervical cancer test. I called in 2 weeks later and she told me I was disease free (not that I though I had anything, but it's a good reassurance!) About a few months past by and I never even thought about calling about my results from the cervical cancer tests. One day I was sitting in class and I got called to the office. I went down and there was a message for me to call my nurse right away. I was shaking in horror, could she have messed up and I do have an std?? I was trembling as I picked up the phone and she told me on the other line that I have to go in to the clinic as soon as possible. I left school and went in right away. Needless to say, I was still disease free, but she told me something more horrible. She told me there was some displaysia in my cervix. Being 18 and not having a clue on what the heck she was talkin about, my first reaction was, I have cancer and I'm going to die. I've never even heard of this before, nobody told me what this was when I was growing up!! I kept asking god, why do I have this, i'm 18 and graduating, I have my whole life ahead of me...I don't deserve this. Yes I was jumping the gun and the nurse gave me a ton of information on Displaysia and explained everything to me and said I have to have another pap test just to test what's going on down there. I did and they told me I had abnormal cancerous cells in my cervix that had to be removed. I had an appointment for surgery and I was totally scared to death about it. I've never told my parents because my mother is a worry wart and she would have me up the hospital every day. (they still don't know about it) I just made the decision not to tell them and I went in the operating room alone. Thankfully my best friend was there for support because she was the only one I had told. To be honest I thought I was an outcast, a freak of some sort because it was all new to me and I thought I was different from everyone else. I went in for surgery, it was called a Leep or Loop surgery. I was totally awake during the whole process and they used laser to remove the cancerous cells. It wasen't as bad as I thought it would be and the follow up was a pap test every month, then every 3 months. Everything was fine, and it changed to getting a pap test every 6 months. The follow up was great, everything was gone but there still was a chance it would come back. My paps changed again to every year, which was great! Who actually enjoys having all those pap tests?? lol The point of my story is this, I probably would have never went for a pap test without the encouragement that I had. I definetly never thought in a million years I would have cancerous cells in my cervix. The doctor said if I never had of went for the pap test, it could have been possible within 10 years or so for those cancerous cells to turn into full fledge cervical cancer. I would have been around 28 and suffering with it, the possibilites could have been death if untreated. My point being....get a pap test! I know they seem horrible, but they can save your life. Take it from me...I could have been dead at 28 years old from something that could have simply been avoided!
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Pap smear saved my life.
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Your story is a great one for women who like myself avoid getting a pap smear. I had one when I was about 17, and was tested for STD's (cheating ex boyfriend) And never had another one until I became pregnant, when I was 20. And ya know what, I haven't had one since. I didn't even go in for my 6 week check up that is routine for any women who has had a baby. I just hate them, and I think that maybe I am a little afraid that they will find something. But your story made me think about how silly I am behaving, and I am going to call my doc to make an appointment today. Thanks
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No problem Neva! That's great and I applaud you! Never thought my story would make an impact on someone. Get tested, it's better to know you have something and it can be treated then not knowing and it could develop into something worse!