TMI and PSA

This blog post pertains to my lady parts, and not in a fun way. You've been forewarned.

Recently I had an abnormal pap smear, and my OB/GYN decided a few areas on my cervix needed to be biopsied. A biopsy of the whatnot is not fun, but it could not be avoided. The results indicated that I have a precancerous lesion on my cervix. In a few weeks, my OB/GYN will remove the affected areas in an in-office procedure with local anesthetic. Needles, cutting, and cauterizing will happen in places I'd rather not contemplate. It won't be fun, but it's infinitely better than having cancer in the vadge. After the procedure, my pap smears will most likely be normal and I'll be just fine.

Now here's the PSA part. If this lesion hadn't been caught at this stage, it could've developed into cancer. Ladies, if it's been more than a year since you've had a pap smear, get one NOW. Call your doctor tomorrow morning and schedule one.

Furthermore, if you haven't gotten the HPV vaccine, get it NOW. If you have daughters, make sure they get it when they reach the appropriate age. The vast majority of cervical cancers are caused by high risk strains of HPV. Getting the vaccine is a no-brainer and it's absolutely worth it if it helps you avoid the pain, anxiety, and inconvenience of the things I'm going through this month.