Saying my good bye's.
Jess vs Cancer Donations for those who can help.
In October 2018 I was diagnosed with Stage 2B cervical cancer.
I went through chemotherapy, external beam radiation, and Brachytherapy, and was deemed "tentatively cancer free" in February 2019.
On June 4, 2019, at a routine 3 month follow-up, my CT scans showed several enlarged lymph nodes (literally doubled in size) in my chest and abdomen, and a 9mm nodule in the upper lobe of my right lung (CTs from early and mid-March showed normal lymph nodes and "ground-glass" in the upper lobe of the right lung [typically a sign of inflammation/infection, not cancer]).
On June 11, 2019, I had PET scan that showed high activity in the lymph nodes in my chest and the nodule in my right lung.
On June 17, 2019, I had a bronchoscopy to biopsy what lymph nodes they could safely access.
On June 19th I learned that the biopsies all came back positive.
I have metastatic cervical cancer.
It went from 0 to the equivalent of Stage 3 lung cancer in 3 months time, and it's been a month since then, so who knows how much further it's spread. However, unlike Stage 3 lung cancer, there is no cure for metastatic cervical cancer. There are no cures for any metastatic cancers.
The 5 year survival rate for metastatic cervical cancer is around 16%, but the median survival time is only 8 to 13 months, and I'm already 4 months in.
I do plan to fight this, but weekends and holidays are causing delays, as well as waiting on treatment approval from insurance. Even so, I'm not likely to be here this time next year.
My child turned 18 at the beginning of the year, graduated high school a couple months ago, just started their first job, starts college next month. My husband graduates from the MFA program next year, he'll be publishing his first book then and starting into his Ph.D. and continuing to teach.
I'm going to miss so much. I want to see the person my child grows into, the paths they decide to take, where they go. I want to read the stories my husband writes, see how the world responds to his talent, how far the series goes. I want to see them both grow and shine like I know they will. I'm not ready to go. I'm not ready to leave them. I'm so fucking scared. I'm going to fight like hell for every last day, hour, minute, second I get to be with them.
To all my loved ones and friends who see this. I love you, and I'm thankful for the times I got to spend with you all, I only wish I'd gotten more time.
I only ask one promise from you all; regardless of gender, and age up to 45, please, please, please get the HPV vaccine/Gardasil 9, and make sure all of your children get it too. Take this time to tell everyone you know to get vaccinated. Save yourselves and loved ones from going through what I have. Save a life. Because if the vaccine had come out one year earlier... it could have saved my life.
In October 2018 I was diagnosed with Stage 2B cervical cancer.
I went through chemotherapy, external beam radiation, and Brachytherapy, and was deemed "tentatively cancer free" in February 2019.
On June 4, 2019, at a routine 3 month follow-up, my CT scans showed several enlarged lymph nodes (literally doubled in size) in my chest and abdomen, and a 9mm nodule in the upper lobe of my right lung (CTs from early and mid-March showed normal lymph nodes and "ground-glass" in the upper lobe of the right lung [typically a sign of inflammation/infection, not cancer]).
On June 11, 2019, I had PET scan that showed high activity in the lymph nodes in my chest and the nodule in my right lung.
On June 17, 2019, I had a bronchoscopy to biopsy what lymph nodes they could safely access.
On June 19th I learned that the biopsies all came back positive.
I have metastatic cervical cancer.
It went from 0 to the equivalent of Stage 3 lung cancer in 3 months time, and it's been a month since then, so who knows how much further it's spread. However, unlike Stage 3 lung cancer, there is no cure for metastatic cervical cancer. There are no cures for any metastatic cancers.
The 5 year survival rate for metastatic cervical cancer is around 16%, but the median survival time is only 8 to 13 months, and I'm already 4 months in.
I do plan to fight this, but weekends and holidays are causing delays, as well as waiting on treatment approval from insurance. Even so, I'm not likely to be here this time next year.
My child turned 18 at the beginning of the year, graduated high school a couple months ago, just started their first job, starts college next month. My husband graduates from the MFA program next year, he'll be publishing his first book then and starting into his Ph.D. and continuing to teach.
I'm going to miss so much. I want to see the person my child grows into, the paths they decide to take, where they go. I want to read the stories my husband writes, see how the world responds to his talent, how far the series goes. I want to see them both grow and shine like I know they will. I'm not ready to go. I'm not ready to leave them. I'm so fucking scared. I'm going to fight like hell for every last day, hour, minute, second I get to be with them.
To all my loved ones and friends who see this. I love you, and I'm thankful for the times I got to spend with you all, I only wish I'd gotten more time.
I only ask one promise from you all; regardless of gender, and age up to 45, please, please, please get the HPV vaccine/Gardasil 9, and make sure all of your children get it too. Take this time to tell everyone you know to get vaccinated. Save yourselves and loved ones from going through what I have. Save a life. Because if the vaccine had come out one year earlier... it could have saved my life.