So what's new in this 2020? I've been pretty non-existent in this blogspot page but here are some updates of my life *for now* other than wishing for the pandemic to be over :(.
I got married to the love of my life *7 months*💖
After 1 year of job break & breaking the bank for wedding, I got a job *bliss*💯
BUT I found out I MIGHT HAVE Cervical Cancer 💧💧😭😭😷😷😷
Click Close if you ain't got time to read, but if you are a lady/female/girl please read on and I hope my experience will encourage you to take charge of your life - get your screening & HPV Vaccination done today.
To be honest, I've been depressed for almost a year since the news broke in November 2019. So because we decided to get married, I thought, hey it's about time your 'down there' get checked and I had been procrastinating this for the past many years. *The thought of medical, checkup and doctors always scare the shit outta me. And when I harnessed courage to go to the clinics near my area, I was turned down many times. 'Oh, we cannot do pap smear today', 'Oh, there isn't a female doctor' etc.. Right after I got married in July 2019, I started to experience pain and all; that freaked me out and so many thoughts ran through my head at that time. But the pain became intolerable, so one day I picked up my car keys and drove to the nearest Klinik Kesihatan (Segambut), to be rejected in the face because you can't just walk in. *Please check your current postcode to be assigned to the KK for your area.
So, made some calls and asked for pap smear at Klinik Kesihatan in TTDI. All the staff were so friendly and caring, I did not get any of the judgemental looks given by some other clinics in Hartamas. Pap smear test was only conducted in the noon time, so once I've made the call I went straight by myself *without my husband* and asked for pap smear test . I was lucky as the clinic just received their HPV test kit & that the nurses were excited for me to try it instead *supposed the more 'sensitive' test kit. It's a self-test kit in which there is a test tube with a super long cotton swab like, I was taught how to do it and that I'll be left alone to do the test myself. Remember I was experiencing pain? After that test, I felt like DYING..
My last pap smear was 10 years ago, and one of the reason I was told not to do the test was that if I'm not 'active'. And yes, I had been that 'good' as I was on this 'no-guy' commitment *ops till I met my 💖. My KK experience, I had shared to them that I have been experiencing excruciating pain, stinging, uncomfortable and all. MO helped to check and that awkward moment when she says 'hey, do you mind if the other nurses came and have a look too?', okay so my pinkish-reddish-healthy cervix became fascination for these ladies :) LOL, it kinda comforted me for a bit but the thought of what's going on down there still creeps me. And this was in August 2019. Was told the test results would take about 6-8 weeks, and if all okay that's good. My last pap smear, the results came in the mail about it being normal & okay. You will be contacted if abnormal cells/results found.
At Klinik Kesihatan TTDI...
Met the doctor and she had explained that in my HPV results, they had detected syringe 16. Having both 16/18 confirms you of having Cervical Cancer. I had one of them, so...what does this mean? I was advised to get more information at my appointment at Institut Kanser Negara (National Institute of Cancer). The thought of the word 'Cancer' of Cancer Center just scares the hell...
At Institute Kanser Negara
It was my first time going into this place, and the experience was pleasant. All staff were really courteous - it's been consistent till today still. You never get this kind of treatment or service at excessively expensive private hospitals, so you don't feel stressed out when you visit. Registration was free, and I was asked to head to the MDC - Multi-Discipline Clinic. Here they have several division - anesthetic, gynae & others. For Gynae related, they're only available on Tuesdays & Thursdays. The wait was really long - my appointment was 2pm. Super long wait, and so many patients waiting. And indeed not enough medical staff, we had to wait for the doctor. I was scheduled for Colposcopy - Cervical Scan where it is a physical exam. There were many anxious faces at IKN, I remembered. And one Malay lady who was with me seem to be going through the same thing. She started sobbing out of fear, and her husband was with me.. And I was alone...thinking WTF... I'm by myself here...I've been texting the husband the entire time. I remember him replying ' Move away, and don't look at her'. So we've been prepped with a sarong like piece (panties & pants off) as we wait for our turn. Dr Adam came to examine, and through physical there was nothing detected.
I got married to the love of my life *7 months*💖
After 1 year of job break & breaking the bank for wedding, I got a job *bliss*💯
BUT I found out I MIGHT HAVE Cervical Cancer 💧💧😭😭😷😷😷
Click Close if you ain't got time to read, but if you are a lady/female/girl please read on and I hope my experience will encourage you to take charge of your life - get your screening & HPV Vaccination done today.
To be honest, I've been depressed for almost a year since the news broke in November 2019. So because we decided to get married, I thought, hey it's about time your 'down there' get checked and I had been procrastinating this for the past many years. *The thought of medical, checkup and doctors always scare the shit outta me. And when I harnessed courage to go to the clinics near my area, I was turned down many times. 'Oh, we cannot do pap smear today', 'Oh, there isn't a female doctor' etc.. Right after I got married in July 2019, I started to experience pain and all; that freaked me out and so many thoughts ran through my head at that time. But the pain became intolerable, so one day I picked up my car keys and drove to the nearest Klinik Kesihatan (Segambut), to be rejected in the face because you can't just walk in. *Please check your current postcode to be assigned to the KK for your area.
So, made some calls and asked for pap smear at Klinik Kesihatan in TTDI. All the staff were so friendly and caring, I did not get any of the judgemental looks given by some other clinics in Hartamas. Pap smear test was only conducted in the noon time, so once I've made the call I went straight by myself *without my husband* and asked for pap smear test . I was lucky as the clinic just received their HPV test kit & that the nurses were excited for me to try it instead *supposed the more 'sensitive' test kit. It's a self-test kit in which there is a test tube with a super long cotton swab like, I was taught how to do it and that I'll be left alone to do the test myself. Remember I was experiencing pain? After that test, I felt like DYING..
My last pap smear was 10 years ago, and one of the reason I was told not to do the test was that if I'm not 'active'. And yes, I had been that 'good' as I was on this 'no-guy' commitment *ops till I met my 💖. My KK experience, I had shared to them that I have been experiencing excruciating pain, stinging, uncomfortable and all. MO helped to check and that awkward moment when she says 'hey, do you mind if the other nurses came and have a look too?', okay so my pinkish-reddish-healthy cervix became fascination for these ladies :) LOL, it kinda comforted me for a bit but the thought of what's going on down there still creeps me. And this was in August 2019. Was told the test results would take about 6-8 weeks, and if all okay that's good. My last pap smear, the results came in the mail about it being normal & okay. You will be contacted if abnormal cells/results found.
Okay, back to the I ALMOST DIED Part. I might have did the self-test wrongly, and that same night, I was sobbing profusely because of the pain & that I've been holding in my pee. Everytime I peed, it felt like a metal rod was being shoved and electric current was passed through. FXXK you could just imagine how excruciating it was, and when my husband found me being quiet, I broke down, crying as I slowly told him what happened and all. My first thought? If he'll ever want to still be married to me...or if he still loved this 'broken wife'. That night, he told me not to hold my pee and he sat with me in the toilet, one hand holding mine as he witnessed his poor wife crying in pain while peeing. I remember him saying, 'My love, whatever it is, we are in this together. Please tell me everything & don't keep things to your yourself'.
So, we slowly moved on from that incident & that a lot of exciting ups & downs and stress while our wedding reception was scheduled in mid September 2019. Plus, the house toilets and walls were just renovated not too long ago for us to settle down. We were so held up by everything in life and that I was to wait for the results in October for the news, or no bad news. So our wedding event was so beautiful, everyone was happy *especially the in laws & parents*. I couldn't ask for more. And 2 weeks after the wedding, I got a job (after a year break and almost going broke) by a potential Korean employer *now my boss* on job and immediately I was hired on part time basis. Life seem to be in place now, and more good news... when I was confirmed for full time job within a week..ehem due to my past experience.
Location was perfect *just a 8 mins drive from my place* and as a new start up team, we got our hands dirty as there were just 4 of us. And Audrey Ting, being in the skincare industry for 12 years, so excited to be working and offering my experiences to grow the new brand. *Hit me up if you're Malaysian influencer in beauty or in any other profile as we have potential K-commerce jobs* LOL
Because our wedding couldn't accommodate everyone, we had another reception *for his friends only* on November 3rd. While I was slowly planning on this event & some of the post wedding production video, photos, November creeped up on us. Time truly flies, and on November 2nd, it was truly the darkest day of our lives. My eyes were so swollen from the crying, the reception on 3rd Nov was almost called off by my husband, but I said we'd better go on with it. *Story below of how I was told of the news...*
I received a buzz that I have a visitor from the clinic. And that the nurse from KK TTDI came to my house the week before, but couldn't get us as it was on a weekday. It was 10am, and drizzling, so Puan Hazlina broke the news to me that my HPV test results showed some positive results for 16/18. Mentioned I had to go to the clinic in 2 days time to get doctor's letter & I've been scheduled to Institute Kanser Negara (National Cancer Institute) in 3rd week of November for treatment/follow up. And on Monday, I got the news that one patient pulled out, and that I have been scheduled for IKN appointment in 4 days' time. Husband turned his schedule around to go with me to the clinic on Tuesday, but Thursday he has an outstation case so it's just Aud again.
So, we slowly moved on from that incident & that a lot of exciting ups & downs and stress while our wedding reception was scheduled in mid September 2019. Plus, the house toilets and walls were just renovated not too long ago for us to settle down. We were so held up by everything in life and that I was to wait for the results in October for the news, or no bad news. So our wedding event was so beautiful, everyone was happy *especially the in laws & parents*. I couldn't ask for more. And 2 weeks after the wedding, I got a job (after a year break and almost going broke) by a potential Korean employer *now my boss* on job and immediately I was hired on part time basis. Life seem to be in place now, and more good news... when I was confirmed for full time job within a week..ehem due to my past experience.
Location was perfect *just a 8 mins drive from my place* and as a new start up team, we got our hands dirty as there were just 4 of us. And Audrey Ting, being in the skincare industry for 12 years, so excited to be working and offering my experiences to grow the new brand. *Hit me up if you're Malaysian influencer in beauty or in any other profile as we have potential K-commerce jobs* LOL
Because our wedding couldn't accommodate everyone, we had another reception *for his friends only* on November 3rd. While I was slowly planning on this event & some of the post wedding production video, photos, November creeped up on us. Time truly flies, and on November 2nd, it was truly the darkest day of our lives. My eyes were so swollen from the crying, the reception on 3rd Nov was almost called off by my husband, but I said we'd better go on with it. *Story below of how I was told of the news...*
I received a buzz that I have a visitor from the clinic. And that the nurse from KK TTDI came to my house the week before, but couldn't get us as it was on a weekday. It was 10am, and drizzling, so Puan Hazlina broke the news to me that my HPV test results showed some positive results for 16/18. Mentioned I had to go to the clinic in 2 days time to get doctor's letter & I've been scheduled to Institute Kanser Negara (National Cancer Institute) in 3rd week of November for treatment/follow up. And on Monday, I got the news that one patient pulled out, and that I have been scheduled for IKN appointment in 4 days' time. Husband turned his schedule around to go with me to the clinic on Tuesday, but Thursday he has an outstation case so it's just Aud again.
At Klinik Kesihatan TTDI...
Met the doctor and she had explained that in my HPV results, they had detected syringe 16. Having both 16/18 confirms you of having Cervical Cancer. I had one of them, so...what does this mean? I was advised to get more information at my appointment at Institut Kanser Negara (National Institute of Cancer). The thought of the word 'Cancer' of Cancer Center just scares the hell...
At Institute Kanser Negara
It was my first time going into this place, and the experience was pleasant. All staff were really courteous - it's been consistent till today still. You never get this kind of treatment or service at excessively expensive private hospitals, so you don't feel stressed out when you visit. Registration was free, and I was asked to head to the MDC - Multi-Discipline Clinic. Here they have several division - anesthetic, gynae & others. For Gynae related, they're only available on Tuesdays & Thursdays. The wait was really long - my appointment was 2pm. Super long wait, and so many patients waiting. And indeed not enough medical staff, we had to wait for the doctor. I was scheduled for Colposcopy - Cervical Scan where it is a physical exam. There were many anxious faces at IKN, I remembered. And one Malay lady who was with me seem to be going through the same thing. She started sobbing out of fear, and her husband was with me.. And I was alone...thinking WTF... I'm by myself here...I've been texting the husband the entire time. I remember him replying ' Move away, and don't look at her'. So we've been prepped with a sarong like piece (panties & pants off) as we wait for our turn. Dr Adam came to examine, and through physical there was nothing detected.
Remember I did HPV but not Pap smear? So he took the swab for the test. Apparently the correct order would be (pls correct me if I'm wrong)
Pap Smear > HPV > Colposcopy (based on sequence of results)
I was informed that I need to come back in a month for the results, although the previous results had already shown.
A MONTH LATER......
I was told that I have stage 3 pre Cervical Cancer (HSIL), it's the pre-cancer stage. If I had left it I would have been diagnosed with Stage 1 Cervical Cancer already. Thank god it was detected early! And it is treatable, it'll require a minor surgery to remove 1cm of cervical wall cells for further biopsy. Just to share, we have 3 cm of it, and usually the professionals will recommend to remove 1cm and to biopsy, 1 month pap smear post surgery. If there's some cells left, they may recommend to do a 2nd surgery to remove another 1cm, so your doctor will advise you based on your conditions.
ANOTHER MONTH PASSED...
Another follow up session to review the results and that thank god it's cleared and nothing else detected. I was told that I needed to do few more pap smear tests, 1 month post op, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year. December 2020 will be the 1 year post op check.
I know I've been absent for so long, do let me know if you'd want me to share about HPV vaccinations? I've got my fair share of stories and this needs to be shared more as the education system back then didn't prepare us for this.
Until then, XOXO & remember to practice self-love and self-care.
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