Home / Power Stories / Eden’s Story (PCOS, Cervical Dysplasia, HPV)

Eden’s Story (PCOS, Cervical Dysplasia, HPV)

Teal Ribbon PCOS StoryI never thought of my experiences as a “story”. But then I was introduced to “Fight Like a Girl Club” and started reading all of your stories. I have been touched by so many and encouraged as well. There are stories in here that are proof that I’m not alone and while some days my struggles seem so small and obsolete, they are still there and a reminder that health should not be taken for granted.

Let’s start during the summer between fourth and fifth grade. That’s when my period started. I knew what to expect. My older cousins had explained to me their experiences “growing up” – but I didn’t have any other friends or cousins my age going through the same thing. After about a year and a half, my periods were so severe I would miss school or have to go home early. I was so embarrassed. Perfect attendance was important to me and this was messing everything up, even my grades.

Eventually, as a teenager, I noticed myself having chronic dull pains where my menstrual cramps would reside, however, my cycle wasn’t coming like normal and these dull heavy pains took the place of my cramps. Long story short -my ovaries had cysts. At the time, I was not very well educated on this problem. This occurred over and over again, eventually resulting in multiple surgeries removing the cysts (6 cm, then 12 cm, up to 16 cm). Eventually, my left ovary had to be removed along with the tube. I was 20-years-old and just married. I was so lucky to find such a strong, supportive love in my husband, but being a US Navy sailor, I knew we would experience times where his support would be unavailable. I also struggled with some resentment because my Navy career was cut way short due to these chronic issues.

Shortly after the removal of my left ovary, my doctor encouraged us to start trying for a child (we definitely wanted children, always have). He explained to us that it might just be a matter of time before we found ourselves in the same situation – this time with the right ovary. So we tried and eventually it worked! We had a beautiful 9.6 lb baby girl!

Since then, there have been cysts form and get larger and my doctor has been great about using medicine and different birth controls to get rid of them without surgery. However, just a few months ago, we found another. It was actually a fluke we found it at all. I was going through treatment for HPV and they had removed some pre-cancerous cells from my cervix and during a follow up exam, my doctor happened to touch a spot and immediately we both knew, a cyst. I guess I had gotten so used to the dull, heavy pain, I just stopped noticing it. After trying the usual tricks, she decided that the best way to take care of this cyst was rupturing it. In her opinion, that was the best chance we had to save my ovary from so much damage and scar tissue. This way, she hoped, we could still have more children. (Im only 24 at this point). This is the route we decided to go with.

It was painful and scary but it worked! The cyst was gone. I started feeling better and after a short period of weeks, she encouraged us to start trying for another (same mentality, try before time runs out). We went about our normal marital activities, and guess what – #2 is on the way!

I decided to share my story for this reason: Through struggling with these cysts (eventually diagnosed as polycystic ovaries), surgeries, pain, severe IBS with constipation, HPV, pre-cancerous cervical cells constantly popping up, small lumps around my breast/ underarm being removed, I have selfishly struggled with one thought, “God, why don’t you just go ahead and lay it on me already instead of beating around the bush?! What’s it gonna be? Breast cancer? Ovarian Cancer? Cervical Cancer? Maybe even colon cancer! I’m tired of living my life so sick – if it’s not one thing, it’s another. Just put me out of my misery.”

I’m here to say, partially because of all your stories on here, I have gladly, 100% changed my mentality. I am aware of my elevated risks due to personal history as well as family history, however, if God does decide to “lay it on me”, I’m READY and I’m going to FIGHT and I’m going to WIN. I can’t believe I was ever so weak, that I felt like I couldn’t handle these chronic issues. Because I’ve seen how strong all of you ladies are, and I remember how strong my grandfather was, and how strong my aunt is. I will gladly kick butt – one day at a time, without any more complaints. I am tough and I will remain tough for myself, my husband, and my children. You all are such an inspiration to me and I thank you SO much for being so strong! I hope that I can maybe just touch one person with my experience, as you all have touched me. God Bless & keep fighting like girls!!!!

Eden
Georgia
Submitted 9-3-11

This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.

Check Also

katherines-story-

Katherine’s Story (POTS, PCOS, EDS, ATM mutation and grief)

Before even entering the 9th grade, I had already seen at least 5 different specialists …

5 comments

  1. LaQuanda Hart

    Edna, i am touched. Do know you are NOT alone. I too have HPV and severe cervical dysplasia. Fight like a girl club helps us by publishing our stories and after reading ut deminstrates you aren’t the only one fighting. My story was published here recently due to my fight with endometriosis. After it was publish i was inspired by many othets. I admonish you to keep your head up and keep fighting. Its wonderful that you hv a loving and support husband and that you were able to conceive. You are bless. I f you ever want to chat please feel free to reach me at quanda410@yahoo.com. i can truly say i understand what you ste going through. Hold on my sister stay in the fight bc i pray a change to cure is coming our way

  2. Felicia

    Wow! Your story is touching. I can relate when you say “lay it on me”. Thank you for sharing your story! Thank you flagc for giving us this community!

  3. Angela

    Edna,
    Glad to hear you decided to flag and if God does lay it on you, fight fight fight and don’t give up. Sounds like ur husband is great and so happy to hear you guys were able to have 2 children.
    Also I want to thank him for his service and you as well even though your time with the military was cut short.
    To great health in the future,
    Angela

  4. Angie

    Eden, Thank you for sharing you story. I’m glad to hear that there is some hope for having children with this disease. My sister has PCOS and has struggled since she was 19 to have children but she has adoped a beautiful little baby girl in the mean time. This gives me hope that she might be able to have a child and that if it is a hereditary disease and I could have it, that I may be able to have children one day. Congratulations on two beautiful babies and to you and your husband, thank you for your service. God bless you all.
    Best wishes,
    Angie

  5. DIANE

    Wow! I suffer from PCOS, had a leep procedure from HPV, insulin resistance, Hoshimotos Thyroiditis, and feel absolutely horrible day in and day out. It’s nice to know I’m not alone. I will have to come on and share my story. I finally had a hysterectomy in 2014 after 3 years of pain and he’ll. I was on percocets and ponstil for 3 years and had my period for 9 months by my 8th OBGYN Doctor… (that’s right… took 8 Drs to finally agree to a hysterectomy) many visits and stressful “no’s!!! Finally, when they took my uterus, It looked as of I was 4 months pregnant still and I had so many cysts everywhere that they said they had to take my left over too. However that wonderful day, I stopped taking all pain pills for good! It was nice! But fast forward to now… I have been suffering from several pains in my lower abdominal area, getting full so fast, feeling so sick and tired, and so much more… had an mri and found out that
    OBGYN infact… did not take my left overy after all… what?!?!?! REALLY… sooooo what am I supposed to do now!!!! I’M so beside myself now. It’s sad!!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *