What a week it has been! I’m currently sat in Casper, sheltering from a thunderstorm, with England playing in the background. We’ve already heard the campsite scream with joy as England scored! What a great atmosphere there is. Or well there was until we all had to run indoors!
We’re away this weekend with the family, celebrating my dad’s 60th birthday/retirement. I thought I would use this time to get my blog written while everyone is pinned to the match!
We’ve been for a nice stroll this morning and got completely soaked through as it poured down with rain for the whole walk. The minute we got back to the campsite, the rain stopped. Typical or what! We then spent the afternoon playing with polystyrene airplanes, eating cake, and enjoying lovely homemade pizzas made by my sister and my brother-in-law on their outdoor pizza oven. It’s been perfect!
Before you ask about the planes, my dad is a professional plane crash investigator!
Here’s the cake I made my dad for his birthday:
My Colposcopy
Every year I have to go for a Colposcopy at the hospital. I suffer from abnormal cells in my cervix and always test positive for the HPV virus. Every year I go, I always ask my Gynecologist the same question, will I always have to have one every year? Not sure why I always ask, as I always get told the same answer. Both the virus and abnormal cells are caused due to me being heavily immunosuppressed with my Methotrexate and steroids. So basically as long as I am on them, yes it’s extremely likely I will.
Normally each year, my abnormal cells and HPV virus come back from the examinations classed as low grade. In December I had my yearly examination. However, when I got my back results in January, the results came back different. They came back as high grade for the HPV virus. I was then told I would be asked to be seen again for my Colposcopy in 3 months time, instead of a year.
April came, no appointment. Just like most appointments at the minute, there’s a bit of a delay. Then on Tuesday, I got a phone call asking if I could come in this Thursday. So of cause, I said yes. Already 2 months late, I wasn’t going to delay it anymore.
My Gynecologist is ever so lovely and so understanding. We had a good chat before the Colposcopy. She decided not to take a biopsy from me this time. Just lots of swabs instead, which will still give her answers. She also had a good luck with the camera at the abnormal cells in my cervix. She basically didn’t want to put my body under extra stress, which could cause my illness to flare and cause a risk of infection. She said it’s not great for my body to keep taking biopsies from my cervix all the time.
When I’ve had biopsies previously, it has left me feeling quite unwell for a few days after, causing my illness to flare. So if I can avoid it, it’s so much nicer for me. Also with me being heavily immunocompromised, reducing infection risk is also extremely important.
It’s nice when health workers recognise my condition and understand the impact a procedure/examination can have on me and my body. I’m not like a healthy 31 year old going in for a Colposcopy, who will bounce back after a day’s rest feeling on top form again. It can be such a stressful procedure for my body with my condition.
Good news, after the procedure my Gynecologist didn’t seem to be too concerned about what she had seen through the camera. Now I just have to wait for my results.
I have had my abnormal cells frozen off before, but because I’m immunosuppressed, they keep returning. There is currently no treatment for the HPV virus, other than the vaccine, which I’m too old for. The HPV virus then causes the abnormal cells to form. In healthy people, the HPV virus normally clears up on its own. With me, it’s unlikely that will happen, due to me being immunocompromised. Because of all this, I am at higher risk of Cervical cancer. But on good news, they do monitor me very closely and will continue to do so.
A Colposcopy is not a pleasant procedure, but I am ever so grateful to have them done. I’m ever so grateful there is somebody monitoring the abnormal cells in my cervix. Hopefully not, but if they were ever to turn cancerous they would get spotted early, which then could potentially save my life. This is why it is so important to make sure you get my smear test when offered and go for any Colposcopies you may ever get offered.
I’m going to get off to bed now. My Mac is about to die on me, the match is almost over, and the sky is still flashing away with lighting. Overall, the wolf has been good this week. I’ve suffered a bit with my mental health and anxiety. I’ve also been feeling quite drained with my sinuses and a bit of earache. However, I think that’s more to do with allergies. This afternoon I decided to hit my funny bone (and it wasn’t funny) on the towel rail. Not sure what I’ve done, but my elbow is very sore, and hurts to move in certain directions. I’m expecting it will be a bit bruised in the morning! My nerve damage from my shingles is still causing pain, but luckily only mild pain, which I’m ever so grateful about. Not sure if my sciatica has completely healed yet, as I didn’t go out running this week. Maybe have news on that next week!
Anyways that is it for this week.
Until next week,
Goodbye for now
Emma
xox
