Stage...

I have been reluctant to talk about the stage.  It can be a scary thing to hear. It can be a scary thing to talk about.

We've all heard the stories.  "So and so was diagnosed with Stage # and was gone in two months"....

Perhaps it's even happened to a family member, someone who is close to us.  There was nothing that anyone could do, except to watch helplessly as their loved one was stolen.

The stage is an adequate description for the Dr's on how far advanced the cancer is, where is it, it's growth pattern and it's typical behaviour.

I have Stage 3b Cervical Cancer.

I have attached a diagram so you know exactly what it looks like.

Guys, please don't look away....it's important for you to know this too.

This is what my panda cells look like.

On Wednesday, I am having a small surgery to have a stent put into place to keep the ureter open.  My kidney will need all the help it can get with the radiation and chemotherapy, so having things run smoothly will help the dude out.

Tomorrow, Tuesday my mom and I are going back to Vancouver to the cancer clinic.  We are going for some appointments to learn about the treatments I will be getting once I finish the chemotherapy and radiation.  They are nothing if not organized and thoughtful these wonderful people at the Cancer Clinics.

I am not sure when I will post next, but I will before the end of the week.

I have Stage 3b cervical cancer.

There.

...I said it out loud.