Diagnosed with cancer at age 28 - dealing with life through hysterectomy

The other sisters have already given excellent advice (as usual!).

As for recovery time, I was 37 when I had my RAH and returned to work part-time after four weeks. In hindsight, that was probably too soon as I was pretty wiped by the end of the day, and my general tolerance (mental and physical) could have used more time. Keep in mind, this isn't like turning a switch on or off. The healing process is a gradual thing, more of a marathon than a sprint.

I also agree that discussing your situation with the school is a good idea. After all, they've invested in you as well, and I'd hope they'd be willing to work with you, especially since this is due to a health issue. You'd mentioned failing the semester, if you have to miss a few weeks. Would it be possible to take an Incomplete, if it gets to that point? You'd still have to repeat the courses which would stink, but it wouldn't affect your GPA. Just a thought.

I know this all seems overwhelming right now. It's easy to let our minds get too far ahead of the rest of us. But, if you can stop, take some deep breaths, and take one step at a time, that will help you through this process.

You can do this, all of it. We're glad you found us!

First off, close your eyes, take a deep breath, tell yourself that your life and your health is of the upmost importance right now. Everything else will be there. Breathe deep and relax.

I was 33 when diagnosed with cervical cancer. I had been battling an active HPV infection since I was 28. Your concerns are valid. I went through all of my battles living alone.


HOW can you maintain a functioning every day life all the way through to surgery?
You take one step at a time. Focus on that moment. Don't worry about the big picture. Step. By. Step.

How can I function to work and study despite the horrible thoughts of cancer in my head?
This is called cancerhead. We all have it. We all have our own ways of dealing with it. In my case, I focus on living. I live my life the way I want to live it so that when cancerhead rears it's ugly head, I can remind myself of how full my life is and how greatful I am for what I have. That helps to put my mind at ease, because I don't focus on what I haven't done.

What do I do? ANY advise is welcome, from medication to the most unconventional things. I cannot screw up my life over a disease which, at best, will be over with in a year!!
You also cannot screw up your life because you pushed yourself too hard and too much and did not focus on healing both mentally and physically. A hysterectomy, simple or not, is not a walk in the park. I understand you are driven and focused. But please understand that at times like these you need to focus on YOU. If you don't take the time to do that, it could come back to haunt you.

Take the time to take care of yourself now, or you will wish you had for the rest of your life.

Thanks everyone for these awesomely nice and helpful replies.
I really appreciate it.

I guess you're right... I should talk to the people in charge for my financing. Maybe there is a possibility. Maybe it'd be possible to postpone payments until I recovered, then start at this point again in 6 months (in the next semester that are currently one "below" me). The only issue then is: Where to get cash meanwhile? I still have to pay my rent, my food, my insurance, everything. Maybe they have an idea. If not... I don't see this working out.

The other option would be to do the "watchful waiting" until next June. I have almost six weeks of a holiday then. It's a game of risk - but my doctor even said it's possible in general to do "watchful waiting", should I by no means want to lose my uterus.
It's dangerous, as Adeno-Ca does not necessarily come up on the PAP swipes, and I could already have an invasive carcinoma growing in my uterus - but I could also have nothing, the chances are about 1:1.
I am really, really not sure I could go with the mental strain of possibly letting a cancer grow in an organ I don't need to keep, but then again... If the financial situation cannot be resolved, the option of being homeless in the end of all this is surely the worst outcome.

This is really crazy. If I could just find a path and follow it - like I already mentally decided on losing my uterus for the sake of survival without that 50% risk of cancer - it'd be so much easier.

But now, there's like a total chaotic mess of different options in my head, all with a more or less bad outcome, not a single choice can easily be made. I just don't know where to go from here, and it's starting to drive me crazy.
But I'll at least call about the financing, see where it goes from there. I wish my appointment at the hospital to discuss surgery was earlier, so I'd finally know what I am in for with that. But the replies here tell me that three weeks will not be enough, anyway...

There is a lot of good advice here. I'm so sorry you're in this situation and hope you can find a resolution that fits your situation. Your health is critical, of course, and must be the first priority.

Talking to the financial office is a good idea. It's possible they'll have some options that most don't hear about because most people don't run into such a situation.

Someone mentioned taking an incomplete and repeating the courses. Of course this depends on your school, but often an incomplete means you can finish up later without having to retake the whole thing. You might also be able to talk to individual professors about doing assignments ahead of time, or being able to study from home.

Talking to your academic adviser would likely be a good idea as well. I don't know if it would be easier to try to set up a meeting that included the academic adviser, the financial aid office, and relevant professors all at one time to save time and having to repeat yourself, and then go back and share the information with each necessary part of the organization.

I had the daVinci surgery and recovered well. You're a lot younger than I am and your age should help you recover. However, with any surgery, there is the possibility of complications. Trying to do too much too soon can also land you back in the hospital. Each doctor has individual instructions as to what restrictions you will have, and we aren't all given the same ones. Different people heal at different rates as well. As your job sounds pretty strenuous, you are likely to be restricted to some kind of light duty for a while.

My best wishes to you to get things arranged successfully, and I will pray for good pathology reports and quick healing for you.

Please keep us posted. I understand your wish for privacy. You may be surprised, however, at some of the people who will step up and offer support. Please let them help you when they ask. It will be good for you and for them as well.

Best of luck to you!

Hey Anne21 & everybody else,

Sadly, I'd have to repeat a whole semester if I miss too much of it, as I require a minimum hours in internship, working with my patients, in order to be accredited for state examination.

Tomorrow, I have an appointment in a cancer counseling office that my city offers.

I also experimented with mild drugs (medication) to help me through my days, with following results:

5-htp makes me calmer if I take it in evenings. It's not like a sedative, dont expect anything with a strong effect - and it takes some days to fully work. Taking 100mg in the evening made me a little (very mildly) nauseous and dizzy at first, but now it's just good, feels like I have my emotions more under control with it.

Valerian root does not seem to do much. I guess the 68%vol. alcohol conservative causes most of the effects. May be enough to calm me down in everyday-situations like the night before a job interview, but it doesnt really help for week-long life-or-death mental strain.

Diphenhydramine works somewhat for a while, but it makes me feel very uneasy and annoyed with the "fuzzy head" that lasts for many hours. Not worth it, either.

Alcohol as well as Ambien (zolpidem) have sort of the same effects; makes me feel much better at first, but has a severe hangover. With alcohol it's just severe amplified depression, with Ambien it's amplified depression and chaos in my head, like I cannot "sort my thoughts". Probably anything that acts on GABA I'd not recommend.

Melatonin really, really helps me go to sleep. I guess the stress causes me to have a lack of this hormone, and so these pills really work awesomely. However, If I take a full dose (5mg), I feel nauseous and have outbreaks of cold sweat the next day. I cut down the tablets into approx. 1mg pieces, and it works very well and without feeling bad the next day. However, it seems to amplify dreams, or the ability to remember them. I am suffering from nightmares, but that's better than getting <5 hours of sleep a night. The nightmares are horrible, though. I should not go into details, as they may upset people here - but yeah, be warned of this side-effect with Melatonin.

Hugggsss to you sweetie!! I'm 38 and just had mine for endo cancer. I was worried just like you. I had just gotten married been promoted at my job and have a mortgage to pay. I just didn't have time for this. And then someone put it plainly to me. What's the point in worrying about a mortgage if I'm dead bc I didn't have the surgery. I was over then. Amazingly with me be a worrier and someone who must overanalyze everything, I went through life normally up until surg date. I occupied a lot of my time when not at work getting ready. To be honest I've eaten mostly cereal and my in laws bring something every other day or so. I know your career is extremely important. You sound like you are extremely strong and a good head on your shoulders. You'll figure out a way to do it all. Hugggsss

Windmill

Be careful of mixing alcohol with anything. I know from watching my father-in-law that in some peopel ambien can cause hallucinations.

Also talk with your Dr. I found a low dose xanax to be very helpful to reduce stress and aid sleep.

Depending on what country you're from, you may be able to get some kind of temporary disability financial assistance.

Alright, here's an update prior to my appointment at the clinic to discuss hysterectomy (next wednesday).

Nothing new regarding the disease, just news regarding funding. The lady at the office was very nice and tried to be helpful - but sadly, it looks very bad. It seems like I can keep most of my funding during being ill, but repeating a semester is not an option. There does not seem to be a solution for me other than to apply for "hardship funds". All of that seems very risky, involves a lot of time and effort to be put into (I do not have that time), and the outcome is uncertain.

However, after talking to two of my supervisors (at studying), they came up with a solution: Taking up to two additional weeks off (leaving me almost 5 weeks to recover from surgery) and then working over christmas and new year's. As the supervising physicist will be on a holiday (same as everybody else), I cannot work with radiation (x-rays etc.) during that time, but I can be placed to work at the MRI during this time without supervision.

So, I can simply "make up" for up to two additional weeks of sick notes by working during the holidays as well as potentially also on weekends. I will probably have to work 7 days a week after recovery to make up for the financial trouble I will be putting myself in by not being able to work besides studying, as I usually do.

It's not ideal, but it is an option, I suppose.
My other option is to wait until summer 2013, where I will have a longer holiday again... Wait another 10 months, and only then have the surgery. But that'd probably be the second worst option besides "watchful waiting", at least to my psyche.

Other than that, I wrote a list of symptoms, medications, questions etc. for my appointment at the clinic next week - and I wrote my patient's provision which states exactly which kind of life support I do and do not want in case I am terminally ill and unable to communicate my will. I wrote a complete statement regarding other disease as well, e.g. dementia or after accidents, so I am covered. I will just have to have it signed by my GP next week. Writing about my own death and what kind of medical support I will or will not tolerate kind of dragged me down, but at least it's done now. At least I am not disregarding the possible consequences of this "journey". At least I am prepared.

I ended up having 3 surgeries for cervical cancer, lost my job when my FMLA ran out, and the company refused to rehire me despite their promise to. The other company with jobs in my field refuses to hire me because I worked for their competition. I really hope things work out better for you than they did for me.