Round 1- CIN1/2
Mid-last year (2010) I went for my bi-annual pap smear (PS), I have always been pretty regular about these things. Yes, pap smears are far from comfortable ladies, but I figure - short term pain for long term gain and all that.
I’ve never been called up by a doctor in my life, in fact apart from these types of check-ups I rarely need to see a doctor. So, after my bi-annual PS I certainly didn’t expect to receive the call up asking me to come back to discuss my results. I freaked.
My doctor explained that my PS had come back with a trace of abnormal cells, that being CIN 2. To be completely honest, I didn’t truly understand why women had to get a regular PS – I knew the term cervical cancer was part of the reason, but what the heck was CIN 1, 2 or 3 and did this mean I was on a slippery slope towards the dreaded C-Bomb? (Cancer). After I regained my breath my doctor arranged for me to see a specialist to get more tests.
A few weeks later (of sleepless nights trawling the internet for information) I was at the Gynaecologist’s office awaiting further inspection of my cervix - I was far from overjoyed by this prospect. Luckily, though, my doctor was a part time comedian, or so it seemed, as she was ripping out jokes left right and centre. “So, that guy in the waiting room.. is he your latest pickup or a significant other..?” “Um… he’s my husband.” “Well, get him in here to listen. Just thought if he was a guy you picked up at the pub on sat night, this conversation might be a bit much.” Well, she certainly made me laugh, and that couldn’t have been a bad thing given I was having cold sweats about being there.
After a more detailed analysis of my nether-regions, which was definitely more uncomfortable and awkward than the earlier explorations, but not severely painful either, the doctor sent my biopsy off to the lab. I was sent home with a bundle of information to read and a few days to wait it out.
As a side note – one thing I discovered early on during this process is what little I actually knew about the female anatomy, and how my own body works. Dam Catholic education – we didn’t even learn about our own bodies, let alone sex!
A few days later I called into the doctor’s office and the nurse explained my results: CIN1 with some CIN2, and the HPV virus. Not a death sentence, but not awesome either. With the results the way they were the doctor didn’t need to do any sort of procedure, however I had to go back in six months, for yet another round of tests. Fun!
So, at this point there was apparently not much I could do. Wait for six months and then test again...
I’ve never been called up by a doctor in my life, in fact apart from these types of check-ups I rarely need to see a doctor. So, after my bi-annual PS I certainly didn’t expect to receive the call up asking me to come back to discuss my results. I freaked.
My doctor explained that my PS had come back with a trace of abnormal cells, that being CIN 2. To be completely honest, I didn’t truly understand why women had to get a regular PS – I knew the term cervical cancer was part of the reason, but what the heck was CIN 1, 2 or 3 and did this mean I was on a slippery slope towards the dreaded C-Bomb? (Cancer). After I regained my breath my doctor arranged for me to see a specialist to get more tests.
A few weeks later (of sleepless nights trawling the internet for information) I was at the Gynaecologist’s office awaiting further inspection of my cervix - I was far from overjoyed by this prospect. Luckily, though, my doctor was a part time comedian, or so it seemed, as she was ripping out jokes left right and centre. “So, that guy in the waiting room.. is he your latest pickup or a significant other..?” “Um… he’s my husband.” “Well, get him in here to listen. Just thought if he was a guy you picked up at the pub on sat night, this conversation might be a bit much.” Well, she certainly made me laugh, and that couldn’t have been a bad thing given I was having cold sweats about being there.
After a more detailed analysis of my nether-regions, which was definitely more uncomfortable and awkward than the earlier explorations, but not severely painful either, the doctor sent my biopsy off to the lab. I was sent home with a bundle of information to read and a few days to wait it out.
As a side note – one thing I discovered early on during this process is what little I actually knew about the female anatomy, and how my own body works. Dam Catholic education – we didn’t even learn about our own bodies, let alone sex!
A few days later I called into the doctor’s office and the nurse explained my results: CIN1 with some CIN2, and the HPV virus. Not a death sentence, but not awesome either. With the results the way they were the doctor didn’t need to do any sort of procedure, however I had to go back in six months, for yet another round of tests. Fun!
So, at this point there was apparently not much I could do. Wait for six months and then test again...
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