“You Have Cervical Cancer”

Tonight a friend and co-worker of mine just found out she has advanced stage cervical cancer. Cervical cancer is supposedly one of the most treatable cancers if found early. Recently, I’ve come across too many people who let their fear of death hold them back from addressing health concerns. This is a reminder of how important it is to face our fears and take charge of our well-being.

Cervical Cancer Symptoms

My friend asked me to post about the symptoms of cervical cancer. Here are the most common symptoms of cervical cancer (quoted from Mayo clinic):

• Menstrual bleeding that’s heavier and lasts longer than usual
• Vaginal bleeding between periods or after menopause
• Watery, bloody vaginal discharge that may have foul odor
• Pelvic pain during intercourse

For my friend, these were her symptoms:

• Extreme and unexplained fatigue
• Very heavy vaginal bleeding in-between periods, although to begin with she said they were light.
• Intense lower back pain during periods
• Foul smelling dark, bloody vaginal discharge

I think this is a testament to her. My friend did not wallow in self-pity. She did not get angry. She did not ask, “Why me?” Instead, she digested the news of her cervical cancer diagnosis for a few minutes. Then she tells me, “Get the word out, I want to help people who may also have cervical cancer. People need to know how to get over the fear of death.” Remember ladies, get tested regularly! Do your pap smears. Don’t let your fear of death, or your constant prioritization of others keep you from taking care of your body. Facing death and overcoming the fear of death doesn’t mean neglecting your body.

How to get over the fear of death

To be honest, though I always talk about death and encourage people to face death, listening to my friend talk tonight was inspiring. Of course I felt sadness in my heart that my friend has cervical cancer. Advanced cervical cancer, at that. And here she is, ever supportive of my efforts to try to encourage peopel to face death.

First, acknowledge that death exists. Death is going to happen. Take death seriously! Death is a part of the journey in this world. It must be faced. It must be prepared for, just as any other part of life needs to be prepared for. Science has confirmed what has been taught for centuries in the yoga texts: our bodies are constantly changing. We get a new body every 5-7 years. Yet, we do not feel that we are changing. Yoga explains that as Aham Bramasmi, I am spirit, not matter. I am not my physical body. I will not die when my body dies. Understanding that, “I am spirit, not matter. I will not die when my body dies” is extremely empowering. Death is simply part of a journey. There is no need to fear it. However, just like we need to prepare for any journey, we must prepare for death.