My cervix cancer has recurred…again. I can tell you that I am shocked but not surprised. I would imagine most cancer survivors live their lives thinking that they may or will have a recurrence but never knowing when. During various talks I have done I often say that “the day every cancer survivor dreads and anticipates happened” when talking about my recurrence. I had finally gotten to the point that I could see things in my future. For the first 3+ years, the future consisted of weeks. I got to the point that the future was 1-2 years which is a long time.

Several weeks ago I found some enlarged lymph nodes in my neck. Not exactly where I found them for the first recurrence, but very close. I was driving home from a baseball tournament with Ethan and I had to quietly hold it together. I didn’t want him to know.

I went upstairs and hid in my closet and called Barbara. I was close to hyperventilating and she said “Linda, this is your life. Whatever it is we will deal with it.” So in a nutshell she summed it up. This is my life. This is something I will always have to deal with.

I emailed my doctor in Houston on Sunday night to tell her what I had found. She responded Monday morning with “It could be nothing, but we will schedule you for a PET scan this week.” Barb and I flew out Tuesday to be ready for scans on Wednesday and meet with Dr. Westin on Thursday to get the results.

She told us that the nodes in my neck were nothing, but there was something lighting up in my pelvis. It could be my ureter but best to do an MRI to be sure. They scheduled me for an MRI that day before I flew home. The following Monday, Dr. Westin called to say that she wanted to biopsy the node and it was important for me to have MD Anderson do the biopsy.

I Really Don’t Have Time For Another Recurrence

Barb and I got back on a plane Tuesday for a biopsy on Wednesday and flew home Wednesday night. Matthew was graduating from high school that weekend and Ethan from 8th grade the following week. My parents were arriving to stay for 10 days for the festivities so I really didn’t have time for cancer but I knew it couldn’t wait.

Dr. Westin called the following Tuesday with the news that the biopsy was positive. It was in one node and the cancer was very small. We caught it early. What a blessing those nodes in my neck turned out to be!

The Treatment Plan

Dr. Westin said that she thought radiation would be the way to go so she scheduled me with a Radiation Oncologist to decide what the plan of treatment would be. After the graduation festivities quieted down Barb and I flew back to Houston to meet with Dr. Westin and the Radiation/Oncologist. The plan is for me to have radiation 5 times a week for 5-7 weeks.

I started to figure out having treatment in FL. I didn’t want to live in Houston for the summer. I wanted to be close to my boys. In meeting with Dr. Westin she told me that chemo accompanies radiation to enhance it. The tears were instant. I didn’t think I was facing chemotherapy, but I was. The chemo, Cisplatin, is one that I was on before so I know what to expect. I’m not sure that’s a good thing.  Dr. Westin is working on a trial with a Rad/Onc at Shands at the Univ of FL (Go Gators!) and she is comfortable with me having my treatment in FL.

I’m meeting with the Rad/Onc at Shands tomorrow to finalize the plan as well as have a simulation test. The simulation test is where they mark you (tattoos) and figure positioning so you are radiated in the exact spot throughout your treatment. I’m hoping treatment starts next week and we can get this show on the road.