Cervical Cancer Awareness Month- April's Story

My name is April Becraft.  I am a wife and mother of two children.  

My story with cervical cancer begins with my last pap smear in June, 2013.  I went to my yearly pap, expecting everything to be fine, just as it always had been.  I had never had an abnormal pap or any other gynecological problems and I felt fine.  I went to my appointment and the doctor told me everything looked good.  I went home thinking that was the end of that until next year, but I was wrong.

   The next week I got a call from my gynecologist telling me that my pap results came back abnormal and that I needed to come in for a biopsy.  I was a little shocked but not too worried at this point  So, I went back in to see my doctor.  When she examined me again she found the abnormal cells on the inside of my cervix, rather than the outside which is most common.  This is why she did not notice the problem during my initial exam.  Because of the placement of the abnormal cells and the fact that the pap results showed high grade abnormal cells, I had to have a LEEP procedure done, which is just a more extensive biopsy.  I was told they would call me the following week with the results of the biopsy.

   The very next day I received yet another call from my gynecologist, asking me to come in as soon as possible so that we could go over the results of the biopsy.  At this point, I knew it couldn't be good news.  I went in the next day and she told me that I had a rare type of cervical cancer and that it was invasive and fast progressing.  She referred me to an oncologist, who I was to meet with immediately, to determine what our course of action would be.

   The following week I went to my appointment with the oncologist.  After examining me herself and reviewing the results of my previous tests, she determined that I needed to have a radical hysterectomy that she would do as a robotic procedure.  I felt better now that we had a plan in place, but also saddened that I would not be able to have any more children.  Thankfully the Lord had already blessed my husband and I with two healthy, beautiful sons.

   I went in for my surgery a week and a half later on July 22, 2013.  The procedure took five hours, but the results were good.  The doctor was able to remove all of the cancer, and because she got it all I did not have to get radiation.  Also, my ovaries weren't affected by the cancer, so she was able to leave them in and prevent me from going into early menopause.  

   I am cancer free now and doing well, but have to get a pap smear every three months for the next couple of years to make sure it doesn't come back somewhere else.  My first one came back clear, and I am having my second pap in a few weeks and am hopeful that it comes back clear too.  I thank God every day for the blessings He has given me and the guidance and love he gave me throughout this time in my life.  I would not have been able to get through this with a positive attitude without the love of Christ, and without the prayers, love, and support I received from my family, friends, and church.

   I want to leave you with the message of how important it is to get your yearly pap smears.  I have always gone and had I missed this year, I would not be alive to raise my children.  I didn't know I was sick. I had no symptoms that I was aware of that indicated a health problem.  Now that I know more about cervical cancer, I realize the light bleeding I was experiencing after intercourse was a symptom, but at the time it didn't seem worrisome.  Getting a yearly pap saved my life because it allowed the cancer to be detected before it could spread too far, and I was able to be treated.  So again, please make sure you get a yearly pap smear done.  If you haven't had one in the last twelve months make your appointment now!  I am thankful that I am alive and able to spread the message to other women so that their lives saved too.