meredith

I did briefly look into adoption, and if I can be cancer-free for a numbenr of years, it's certainly something I would do. The infertility is hard to deal with sometimes, and the menopause symptoms might even be worse! I couldn't believe it when I started getting hot flashes

Thank you! I look forward to being here and talking with people.

Hi Don. I see that you are now at Swedish Cancer Institute! That's where I am as well. My medical oncologist is Dr. Goodman. My radiation oncologist was Dr. Eulau ( really liked him, very nice man). I've been hospitalized several times at Swedish hospital, too, and I'm impressed with the level of care. Best of luck to you.

Thanks. I'll do that!

Hi Don. Thanks. It looks like you and your wife have been through a lot, and it's encouraging to see that you're still fighting! I just need encouragment, stories of survival, etc. And I hope to give support to others who need it, too.

Thanks for the words Carleen. I am very sorry to hear about your husband; both of you look very young. I've been doing well over the past few months, despite the fears. Cancer has certainly not been controlling every aspect of my life--just got back from a long road trip actually and am taking an online class from my university (I had to quit school during treatment). I just start getting very nervous around scan time, though I know that's normal. But the anxiety can be so overwhelming. My treatment was very very difficult, and so think I'm even more nervous now at the thought of more chemo than I was in the beginning when I didn't know much about it or how it would make me feel. However, I do feel lucky and grateful that I did have complete response to all the therapy. Even with small cell cervical cancer, that it not often achieved. I think I've accepted what's happened to me--the cancer and not being able to have children. Certainly, I still dream I'll be able to. A lot of people our age are beginning to have children, and I have to admit that I feel lots of envy (or jealousy) when I see new mothers with their infants. But maybe one day I'll get to experience motherhood--who knows? I wish your husband has responded better to treatments. But they are progressing. I was just reading a couple of weeks ago about a new virus that can kill cancer cells of neuroendocrine origin, and human trials are supposed to be starting soon. I wish you both the best.

Thanks. I've looked through many of the threads already and have found a lot of info and encouragement.

HI everyone. My name is Meredith, 27 years old, and I have/had small cell cervical cancer. As far as support forums go, I have very few options, as this cancer is only rarely found outside of the lung. So I thought I might try here because my cancer has basically been treated the same as small cell lung cancer. I do hope it's OK if I post here? My story: IN march of 2005, I was diagnosed with small cell cervical cancer. Quite rare. I had a very large tumor--9cm--that was initially treated with high doses of cisplatin and etoposide (6 rounds, 5 days a week, every 21 days). The tumor shrank dramatically and hysterectomy was attempted, but at surgery it was found that residual tumor was slightly attached to my small intestine (not mets per se). She closed me back up. I was referred to another oncologist who has treated sclc, but not small cell cervical. I got more cisplatin and irontecan, plus internal (2 times) and external radiation (5-6 weeks). Two months after completion of all treatment (mid-January), I had PET/CT scans which showed no evidence of cancer anywhere. Yeah! But more scans are coming in 2 weeks, and I'm scared. This cancer likes to come back, just like its lung counterpart. I know there are more chemo options for me if it has come back, but I just dread it! I had so much chemo and radiation that I just felt like dying for several months. I still have a lot of stomach pain from the pelvic radiation, very scarred vagina and cervix (which means sex is out of the question), and pretty bad peripheral neuropathy in legs, feet and hands. It's been very tough. I can't have any children--that was pretty devastating to hear. And I'm quite young, and I felt like there was so much ahead of me, so much I haven't done. I think I need support the most. My family is great, so wonderful, but it's so hard talking to them because I know it makes them so sad. I try to avoid it, even though they ask me to talk to them, to share things. Thanks for reading! Hopefully it's ok if I can be part of this group to get support and information.