It's been a whirlwind month. And a bit of a long story, but I'm overflowing right now.
I was living in Japan up until two weeks ago, pregnant with my first. Three weeks ago, I got a call from my doctor. A few days before that, he'd removed a couple of "common" polyps from my cervix and sent them in for a biopsy "just in case". Well, "just in case" became a diagnosis for clear-cell adenocarcinoma of the cervix--a rare and highly malignant form of cancer. The choices he gave all included surgery, and one, the horror of horrors: choosing between my life and the life of the LO.
Since our doctor had only had experience with treating squamous carcinomas, he sent us to a specialist at the university hospital, who was even less optimistic about saving the LO. They started prepping for a CT scan and MRI even though this type of cancer is really hard to see using those methods. Needless to say, DH and I were emotional wrecks. I did everything I could to find a space of peace in my mind. The last thing I wanted to do was let my fear and sorrow affect the LO.
Fortunately, I have a cousin in the States who's an ob/gyn. We called him to consult and he recommended one of his colleagues. In less than a week, we apologized to our employers, packed up the apartment and left Japan, our home of four years. We landing in California and drove to Utah with our biopsy slide and records, ready to pay out of pocket for whatever lie ahead.
There, I learned three magical words: Arias Stella Reaction. The flood of progesterone and estrogen may cause some cells around the reproductive organs to load up with cytoplasm, giving them the appearance of clear-cell adenocarcinoma. Best of all: it's benign.
I'm so grateful to have the recourse to experienced professionals. My cousin is my new hero. I'm so thankful to all the friends and family who rallied in support and assistance. We are so blessed.
19 weeks, baby is fine, mom is fine. Life is beautiful.
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