We did an interview in January of 2016 with West Coast Magazine.
Click here for the article.
Just like many of you, I always heard about women coming down with Cervical Cancer, but I never thought it would happen to me. It always happens to other people. I did my annual Pap Smears, got my annual Mammograms, and did everything I was supposed to do to protect myself from getting Cancer. I have been married to the same man for 12 years, we were both faithful, but I did know I had the HPV Virus in my system like 98% of the population.
In November of 2013, I did my annual Pap Smear and everything came back normal. The test said I was at low risk of getting Cervical Cancer. I was happy with the results and went on with my life. A few months later, I started having symptoms that I just attributed to menopause since I was 48 years old. Dryness and itching, heavy bleeding, discharge, back pain, and sex was becoming painful. I was not concerned because of my recent all clear on my last Pap Smear. In June of 2014 I went and spoke to my family doctor and she suggested I do an MRI on my back. I had the MRI done and aside from a bulging disk, the MRI spotted some type of mass in my Uterus or Cervix and recommended I go for an ultrasound. Since I had an ultrasound done 9 months prior I told my husband I wasn't going to do it since I had been diagnosed with Fibroid Tumors in the past. After two weeks the symptoms began to get worse so I decided to do the ultrasound.
The results of the ultrasound were either Cervicitis or Adena Carcinoma with a recommendation to follow up with my Gynecologist. I went and saw my Gynecologist and during the exam she saw the mass but told me it looked like an Aborting Fibroid. She wanted to schedule me for a Robotic Hysterectomy, but took as biopsy of the 2.7 CM mass just to be safe. After waiting a nerve racking 12 days I got the call no one wants to get. YOU HAVE CANCER!
My Gynecologist told me I had Glandular Adena Carcinoma with poorly differentiated cells and it was an aggressive strain that was HPV related. I was in shock and disbelief. Even my Gynecologist told me she could not believe how fast this tumor grew, because the last time she checked me it wasn't there.
Over the next month, my husband worked hard to get me into Loma Linda Cancer Center because he wanted me to have the best possible care. I cant' say enough good things about Loma Linda and my doctor. I was diagnosed as stage 1b1 and after further testing revealed the cancer had not spread, I had a Radical Hysterectomy with 22 Lymph Nodes removed in August of 2014. By the time I had the surgery the tumor had grown to 3.2 CM and was very vascular.
Since my diagnosis and treatment I have become an advocate for Cervical Cancer awareness. I am currently cancer free. I get check-ups every three months and my screening tests show that I have no signs of any strains of HPV in my system. My goal is to get the screening age lowered for teenage girls who are sexually active and to encourage all women to get an HPV screening with their Pap Smears. There are 100's of different strains, some more dangerous then others. Please don't ignore your symptoms. Get checked if you don't feel something is not right. It's your body, not the doctors.
With early detection and treatment, together we can make a difference and save lives. Cervical Cancer is nothing to be ashamed of. We have a support group through Facebook if you would like to join us. Just click on the link and you will be directed to the site. I look forward to hearing from any of you who wish to talk with me.
Thanks,
Loretta Baylos
In November of 2013, I did my annual Pap Smear and everything came back normal. The test said I was at low risk of getting Cervical Cancer. I was happy with the results and went on with my life. A few months later, I started having symptoms that I just attributed to menopause since I was 48 years old. Dryness and itching, heavy bleeding, discharge, back pain, and sex was becoming painful. I was not concerned because of my recent all clear on my last Pap Smear. In June of 2014 I went and spoke to my family doctor and she suggested I do an MRI on my back. I had the MRI done and aside from a bulging disk, the MRI spotted some type of mass in my Uterus or Cervix and recommended I go for an ultrasound. Since I had an ultrasound done 9 months prior I told my husband I wasn't going to do it since I had been diagnosed with Fibroid Tumors in the past. After two weeks the symptoms began to get worse so I decided to do the ultrasound.
The results of the ultrasound were either Cervicitis or Adena Carcinoma with a recommendation to follow up with my Gynecologist. I went and saw my Gynecologist and during the exam she saw the mass but told me it looked like an Aborting Fibroid. She wanted to schedule me for a Robotic Hysterectomy, but took as biopsy of the 2.7 CM mass just to be safe. After waiting a nerve racking 12 days I got the call no one wants to get. YOU HAVE CANCER!
My Gynecologist told me I had Glandular Adena Carcinoma with poorly differentiated cells and it was an aggressive strain that was HPV related. I was in shock and disbelief. Even my Gynecologist told me she could not believe how fast this tumor grew, because the last time she checked me it wasn't there.
Over the next month, my husband worked hard to get me into Loma Linda Cancer Center because he wanted me to have the best possible care. I cant' say enough good things about Loma Linda and my doctor. I was diagnosed as stage 1b1 and after further testing revealed the cancer had not spread, I had a Radical Hysterectomy with 22 Lymph Nodes removed in August of 2014. By the time I had the surgery the tumor had grown to 3.2 CM and was very vascular.
Since my diagnosis and treatment I have become an advocate for Cervical Cancer awareness. I am currently cancer free. I get check-ups every three months and my screening tests show that I have no signs of any strains of HPV in my system. My goal is to get the screening age lowered for teenage girls who are sexually active and to encourage all women to get an HPV screening with their Pap Smears. There are 100's of different strains, some more dangerous then others. Please don't ignore your symptoms. Get checked if you don't feel something is not right. It's your body, not the doctors.
With early detection and treatment, together we can make a difference and save lives. Cervical Cancer is nothing to be ashamed of. We have a support group through Facebook if you would like to join us. Just click on the link and you will be directed to the site. I look forward to hearing from any of you who wish to talk with me.
Thanks,
Loretta Baylos
