I Would Like to Ask For Your Help…

Hi everyone! I am about to be very vulnerable in asking for help. This is not a topic I am particularly comfortable speaking about publicly, but I must bite the bullet and do it for my health and it might help other women with theirs. Some of you may know that I am having surgery on February 4^th. I have been very vague about it because it is not a comfortable topic for me to speak about, but recently posted on social media about it. If you didn’t see my post, here is a little more information about what is going on.

I was recently diagnosed with VIN 3 (vulval intraepithelial neoplasia) which is still, in its precancerous state. Let me explain a bit more about VIN 3. This is a lesion or patch of irregular cells that form around the vulva that can eventually turn into vulvar cancer. I have an amazing OBGYN who took it upon herself to biopsy the lesion she found during my regular women’s wellness check. She didn’t feel as though this was a normal formation of skin and immediately biopsied it. Low and behold the biopsied came back positive for precancerous VIN 3. This is good news and bad news. Good because it’s not cancer, yet and bad because I now must undergo surgery to remove the lesion.

After more examining, my OBGYN referred me to a gynecological oncologist who is one of the best in the state for removing cancerous and precancerous tissues. I immediately scheduled an appointment with this oncologist and get another thorough exam done. During this exam, she finds another lesion that has brought her suspicions of precancer to possibly cancer. She found a darker pigmented lesion with more gagged edges which she explained are often cancerous. Not always, but the risk of cancer is higher in these pigmented lesions. She then went through exactly what the procedure will look like and what she will be removing. This is called a partial vulvectomey. Don’t google it because it looks worse than it really is going to be for me. That being said…I will be having surgery on February 4^th.

Surgery is never anything anyone wants to do, but with the emphasis of both my doctors of how important this is, I must do it. Putting off my health has been a thing of the past and I am stepping into treating myself with unconditional love and care. I need to be in the best health so, I can be the best mother to my son. Unfortunately, I will be missing at least one week, possibly 2 of work, unpaid and must pay a $1,000 deductible for my surgery. That is all very devastating and would have stopped me in the past from having this surgery, but I know from research and what my doctor have told me, that this surgery is very important for maintaining my health. If I let this go any longer, I could be at major risk of developing vulvar cancer which would result in a much more invasive surgery, chemo and a plethora of other issues that come with cancer. Plus, I know it is time for me to truly care and love myself unconditionally. I have put myself on the back burner for too many years.

Today I am doing something I struggle with daily by reaching to ask for help. I must pay this deductible to the hospital prior to my surgery and I am asking for a little extra help to pay bills and buy groceries for me and my son since I am missing a week of unpaid work. I would be eternally grateful for any help. Thank you, thank you, thank you! <3