![[Powered by Blogger]](http://buttons.blogger.com/bloggerbutton1.gif){kind=small}
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
You know how I was pretty certain that I'd be able to drop of my Fedex to the Peace Corps and not think about my health for a while? Well, it didn't exactly turn out that way. Cruel, cruel world, there is much left to do. While I was thrilled, but not terrilbly suprised, to find that I am HIV-negative, I was unsettled by my PAP results. They were abnormal, quite clearly so, and said that I had squamous intraepithelial lesions, which in layman's terms means abnormal cells that have a very slim chance of developing into cervical cancer. They are a manifestation of HVP, which is a sexually transmitted virus. Here's the crazy thing about HVP: 80% of sexually active adults will test positive for this virus in their lifetime. It's that common. And it can take ten to twelve years to manifest, or may never, which means there is no knowing where or when you contracted it. You will have it your whole life and it may not require any care; on the other hand, the lesions could require surgery to remove them, and it can also lead to cancer. I told a few friends about this and all three said that not only did they test positive for this virus, two of them had had surgery, and said it was no huge deal.
The next step for me is a colposcopy, which is a pelvic exam with cameras. If nothing is detected, than I am fine, but need to get a pelvic again in six months. If lesions are detected, I might have to have surgery. I was really worried at first, but really, I'd rather have that than HIV, and it is something I can watch and take care of for the rest of my life. If I have to get pelvics twice a year forever, fine. This is something I can manage, and it may never bother me again. Unfortunately, my doctor could not schedule my colposcopy until the middle of August, so I have to wait until then to find out what exactly is happening on my insides.
But then there is the Peace Corps. I called the Washington office today, and found the name of my placement officer and health screener. Both of them were wonderful, and assuaged my fears of losing my nomination since my health exams were taking so long. But my health screener said that I should Fedex everything I have right away, and that I can fax my PAP results (and colposcopy results) as soon as I get them. I can be nominated without them having every shred of paper, as long as I prove that I am fully cleared before I go. So tomorrow, everything I have to this date will finally fly towards Washington, and I start the waiting game for both my invitation and my colposcopy. My placement officer said she would start sending invitations in a couple weeks, so the waiting game may not be as long as I once thought.
The next step for me is a colposcopy, which is a pelvic exam with cameras. If nothing is detected, than I am fine, but need to get a pelvic again in six months. If lesions are detected, I might have to have surgery. I was really worried at first, but really, I'd rather have that than HIV, and it is something I can watch and take care of for the rest of my life. If I have to get pelvics twice a year forever, fine. This is something I can manage, and it may never bother me again. Unfortunately, my doctor could not schedule my colposcopy until the middle of August, so I have to wait until then to find out what exactly is happening on my insides.
But then there is the Peace Corps. I called the Washington office today, and found the name of my placement officer and health screener. Both of them were wonderful, and assuaged my fears of losing my nomination since my health exams were taking so long. But my health screener said that I should Fedex everything I have right away, and that I can fax my PAP results (and colposcopy results) as soon as I get them. I can be nominated without them having every shred of paper, as long as I prove that I am fully cleared before I go. So tomorrow, everything I have to this date will finally fly towards Washington, and I start the waiting game for both my invitation and my colposcopy. My placement officer said she would start sending invitations in a couple weeks, so the waiting game may not be as long as I once thought.
Monday, July 21, 2003
I get home rather late most nights, but it is always strangely assuring that my brother Ian is not yet asleep. How do I know this? Because every night I get home and check his blog, and every night it is the blog I read earlier that morning. When I get up at 8, the new blog is always there, but it has never appeared before 3 AM. So I know that there is at least one writer out there burning the midnight oil long after I've retreated to la-la land.
It is raining here in the city, raining out everyone's weekday beach plans, possibly even raining out my ride to French class tomorrow. I've yet to take the subway to class or work since, well, since it stopped snowing, but the rain might get me down. Not because I'd get wet- I've got more wicking and rainproof gear than any single woman ought, and besides, I love riding in the rain- but I'm a little hesitant about my daily battle with the cars on Flatbush. When you add a bunch of rain and slick streets, well, it seems to exponentially raise the danger level.
Tomorrow is possibly my last trip to the doctor for the Peace Corps exams. I learn my PAP and HIV results, and hopefully will get the last of the paperwork I need to Fedex everything to Washington, D.C. I just want to get that done, drop it off at the Fedex center, and then sleep for an entire day. These tests and exams have been rigorous and, at times, painful, and while I think it's great to make sure I'm healthy, I'm more concerned about finishing the last phase of my Peace Corps application. I've also just worked six shifts in four days and I'm not thinking clearly. I will be glad to know my results tomorrow, and gladder still to visit Fedex.
I have to be at French class in eight hours. Ugh.
It is raining here in the city, raining out everyone's weekday beach plans, possibly even raining out my ride to French class tomorrow. I've yet to take the subway to class or work since, well, since it stopped snowing, but the rain might get me down. Not because I'd get wet- I've got more wicking and rainproof gear than any single woman ought, and besides, I love riding in the rain- but I'm a little hesitant about my daily battle with the cars on Flatbush. When you add a bunch of rain and slick streets, well, it seems to exponentially raise the danger level.
Tomorrow is possibly my last trip to the doctor for the Peace Corps exams. I learn my PAP and HIV results, and hopefully will get the last of the paperwork I need to Fedex everything to Washington, D.C. I just want to get that done, drop it off at the Fedex center, and then sleep for an entire day. These tests and exams have been rigorous and, at times, painful, and while I think it's great to make sure I'm healthy, I'm more concerned about finishing the last phase of my Peace Corps application. I've also just worked six shifts in four days and I'm not thinking clearly. I will be glad to know my results tomorrow, and gladder still to visit Fedex.
I have to be at French class in eight hours. Ugh.