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When my gynecologist said he was going to perform a D&C and then have the tissue biopsied for possible "cancer cells," I was speechless. Was this my death sentence? Had he actually mentioned the dreaded "C" word? But he couldn't possibly think that I had it! Or did he? I vaguely recall asking if I was going to die. He said he wouldn't know my diagnosis until after the biopsy, but he was fairly certain I didn't need to worry. Easy for him to say.

The days until the scheduled procedure passed by like waiting for a freight train to cross when you're already late for an appointment. And then, I still had another week of sleepless nights and anxious days before the result of the biopsy would be disclosed.

Several times over a half a year, I'd been checked by my general practitioner for continuous abdominal cramps and intestinal rumbling. None of his suggestions or treatment provided any relief. In the quiet of night, I sensed a circular shape firmly placed in my abdomen that didn't belong there, which I did not tell either doctor. "He'll think I'm crazy," I thought to myself. Actually, I told nobody, but it convinced me that I had to be persistent until an answer was found. My body was speaking loud and clear that it needed attention.

Could there be a problem with my female parts? After I told my gynecologist about experiencing unexpected bleeding, since I had completed menopause over a dozen years earlier, he immediately scheduled the D&C. However, he shrugged when I explained the abdominal and intestinal problems and mumbled something about it being totally unrelated.

At last the biopsy results were revealed I had three stages of pre-cancer cells. That seemed like good news to me, until the gynecologist said he was referring me to a gynecological cancer surgeon for her evaluation. The abdominal cramps and intestinal rumbling not only continued, but increased a quite bit from the stress and unknown future.

A no-nonsense person, the surgeon stood under five feet tall. Though it shouldn't have made a difference, I wondered how she could possibly perform surgery being that tiny. However, it didn't take long for me to realize just how dedicated she is to her patients. She reviewed the biopsy results and stated that she was going to perform a hysterectomy on me. "When there are pre-cancer cells, generally cancer cells are there too," she used as a justification for such a drastic measure. If that wasn't terrifying enough, I was informed the surgery would be

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