Cervical cancer❗Monika is learning to live in a body that gives her no respite❗

These were supposed to be routine procedures. The disease began to write the rest of the story.

In 2012, fibroids, polyps, and endometriosis appeared. The treatment was long, but it seemed predictable. The first blow came in 2021. Supracervical removal of the uterine body was supposed to close this chapter. It brought relief, but only for three years.

In 2024, a conization was performed, and in 2025, the cervix and ovaries were removed. These were supposed to be further stages of treatment leading to stabilization. Instead of a conclusion, a diagnosis of cervical cancer appeared.

The body tried to regain its balance. The illness prevented it.

Radiotherapy began, followed by chemotherapy and brachytherapy. Two months spent at the oncology institute, weekly cycles of chemotherapy, and thirty-five radiation treatments became an experience that my body would remember for a long time.

When the treatment was over, instead of the desired relief, another uncertainty arose. During the diagnosis, doctors began to suspect cancerous changes in the lungs.

Physical fatigue is intertwined with mental tension, and the sense of security slips out of control again.

The body is still feeling the effects of the treatment.

The effects of treatment accompany Monika every day. Weakness, lack of immunity, chronic pain, and difficulty moving have limited her independence. This is accompanied by comorbidities: hypertension, hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's disease, hyperglycemia, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, sleep apnea, neuropathy, intestinal inflammation, cataracts, and optic nerve damage causing visual impairment. Her world has clearly shrunk. Social contacts have become rare, and her daily life is filled with treatment and attempts to maintain balance.

A mother who hides her pain

Monika is a mother. Every day, she tries to protect her daughters from the burden of illness, without showing any pain or fear. It is a constant balancing act between fighting for health and maintaining a semblance of normality. Between what she really feels and what she wants to spare them.

Not everything was taken away by the disease

She has always been an open, cheerful person, ready to help others. For years, she has been involved in volunteering, providing support where it was needed. She loves people, conversations, and closeness. She reads psychology books to better understand herself and others. She creates handicrafts: candles, soaps, and floral arrangements. Working with her hands brings her peace and allows her to regain a sense of agency. The disease has taken a lot from her, but it has not taken away her sensitivity, empathy, and faith in goodness.

Everyday life has become harder to bear

Treatment and its effects require constant pharmacological support, rehabilitation, and regular visits to medical facilities.
This burden increases with the duration of the disease.