Today, 11/17/2008 is exactly one year since I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Endometrial Cancer. I consider myself to be a very blessed woman, and am very grateful to be alive. I’m 56 years old but was 55 when my cancer was discovered.

Although I had gone to my local gynocologist in late Spring of 2007, she missed it and ignored evidence on the lab reports that something was wrong when I complained of pelvic pain and increasingly heavy bleeding. She said she would watch the “endometrial abnormalities” described in the lab report, and took a ‘wait and see’ approach.

Long story short, my bleeding got a little worse each month to the point where it was constant. It got so heavy that I became anemic. One day I began to hemmorrage, and called my gyn’s office to ask for an emergency appointment. She wasn’t in that day, so I was assigned to another doctor. Becasue of my symptoms, she performed an endometrial biopsy that day followed by an ultrasound the next day. Two days later I was told the biopsy showed that I had endometrial cancer. i was stunned. It had never even occured to me that I could have cancer, and I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach.

I was fortunate to have a strong support system with family, friends, my church and co-workers who rallied around me to help me through this. I do not know how I would have made it without them. I became very introspective and realized for the first time in my life that I really could die. It was a scary time, but my faith more than sustained me, and God was there for me every momment of my trial. He really was.

I was able to get an appointment with a top gynecological oncologist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, and had a total hysterectomy with my uterus, ovaries, cervix and fallopian tubes removed. My doctor also removed 21 lymph nodes which thankfully were cancer free. I also had brachytherapy internal radiation treatment about 6 weeks after the surgery to try to kill any cancer cells that might have spread but were not detectable at the time. While I was afraid of this beforehand, it turned out to be nothing to fear and the treatments were pain free. The only thing that hurt was my pride.

A side effect of the surgery was because of the lymph node removal, I have recently developed Lymphedema of the left leg. I now have to wear a firm compression stocking every day and a Solaris compression boot at night. Surprisingly, they are quite comfortable to wear and really not a big deal.

While I would not want to go through this again, I would not trade the experience for anything. My life is different now. My faith is stronger, my priorities are different, and I have a greater appreciation and comprehension of what is really important in my life. I realize as never before that each day is a gift, and I live life to the fullest. My family and friends know I love them because I tell them all the time. Little things that used to annoy me or stress me out have no impact anymore.

Having a diagnosis of cancer made me re-examine my life and serioulsy consider the question of ‘what is the measure of my life?” What is really important, what isn’t, and how do I live the rest of my life in a way that matters? My goal now is to have a life well lived.

My last 3 follow up appointments have resulted in those wonderful words that “there is no evidence that the cancer has recurred”, and I expect to hear it again at my January 2009 appointment with my doctor in Philadelphia.

No matter what happens though, I do not live in fear or allow myself to play the “what if” game. Each day is a gift, and I am enjoying my life as never before. I am happy, I enjoy my life and appreciate all I have. Having cancer was hard, but it has made me get a new perspective on life, and I intend to live out the rest of my days with a grateful heart and enjoying the journey. I am a blessed woman, and i know it.