Watched the Global TV segment last night. One of the announcers said that I am "speaking out against the vaccine." And the headline on top of the gargantuan Herald photo positions me as a Health Crusader. Huh?
I wrote literally four posts. About my own personal journey with this stuff. And now the newsmedia – desperate for representation on the 'other side' of the Gardasil debate – shoves me into the Opposed position. Nice. And totally false.
Here's the deal with me and Gardasil. I am 31 years old. I am too old. The vaccine is not an issue for those of us who are over age 26. Keeping our asses out of the cancer clinic is our business.
The vaccine, at the moment, seems to be more of a parental issue than anything else at this point. I am not a parent. So the idea of me speaking out against it is ridiculous.
If I can do one thing for this world right at the moment, it will not be to take a side on this debate. It will be to crack the HPV code of silence wide open. So talk! Or write, rather. If you would like to air your feelings about it, please, please leave a comment. Let's start a dialogue.
From where I sit, though, the dialogue should not be entirely focused on Grade 5 girls. Right now there are millions of adult women confused about abnormal PAPs, fearfully waiting for colposcopy results or sitting in day surgery waiting rooms before getting LEEPs and cone biopsies. If 80% of us have it, we are certainly not talking to each other.
C'mon girls! It's time to connect and share. We need good information and we need support.
As I mentioned before, while the screening programs are to be applauded, our treatment and prevention of cervical dysplasia and cervical cancer is "look for it" and "cut it off." In my mind, that's not good enough. It's a little too Middle Ages for me. What do you think?
And really, it won't be long before the vaccine is marketed (I chose that word carefully) to those over 26, so...would you do it?
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2 comments:
I had LEEP treatment almost 2 years ago at the age of 19. I didn't even know that I had HPV until I had 5 abnormal paps (each ranging from 3-6 months apart). My next pap after was clear however since then it has changed to mild. I am nearing 22, although gardasil cannot get rid of the strand of HPV I currently have it will prevent my, hopefully, from getting affected by others. I received my first shot 1 month ago. side note: I priced it out a little... don't go to shoppers to fill your prescription it was $240 vs. safeway $161. Although the shot is new I would rather say I did and it didn't work vs. I didn't and I got worse
Hey there, Thanks for this! Are they just keeping an eye on your mild cells now? Eat your cabbage baby!
Good luck!
XO
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