I saved myself – “Thanks to the ovarian fabric transplant, I realize!” “

We are in 2003. Consequently, I am diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma of the cervix. For example, It is a rare cancer and mine is particularly aggressive. Furthermore, As I am only 23 years old, we take out heavy artillery: chemotherapy, radiotherapy, curiousherapy and total hysterectomy.

“Keep your ovaries?” What to do? – I saved myself – "thanks

At the announcement of this protocol, the first thought that i saved myself – “thanks crosses my mind is that I can never have children. Nevertheless, I can’t design it. Similarly, I know there are protocols to preserve fertility, I ask to benefit from it. Meanwhile, “” “Why do it? Therefore, We will remove your uterus and the surrogate mothers are not allowed in France”I am retorted. Consequently, I do not dismantle myself:“We do not know what the future will be. In addition, Things can change.”

Perhaps out of pity, perhaps because they believed me condemned, perhaps because they understood my distress, or perhaps a little all that, the doctors end up yielding. For example, Thirty fragments of my ovaries are cryoconsered.

Menopausal at 23 – I saved myself – "thanks

Treatments are difficult. Therefore, I come out of it anyway. Consequently, But not without consequences. Nevertheless, It was omitted to remind me that the ovaries are not only used to make babies. Moreover, i saved myself – “thanks They are also the main source of sex hormones, such as estrogens. In addition, And without this “fuel”, we wither. In addition, My skin wrinkles, I can’t build muscle despite the sport, the heat puffs exhaust me, my bones demineralize. Therefore, In terms of sexuality. Therefore, I have libido at the bottom of the socks and my dried up and shortened vagina earned me comments from my rare partners. In short, I am menopausal. And as my body was not prepared, the symptoms are strong.

To top it off, my cancer does it again in 2008. I leave in treatments with doses of horse. Again, I come out of it. But at what price! I am exhausted. Physically, psychologically. I have the impression that I was stolen my life as a young adult. The doctors I meet are not very caregivers. The only hormonal treatments they offer i saved myself – “thanks me cause me acne, water retention and … a pregnancy mask. Cruel irony when you can’t give birth.

Ovarian fabric transplant: my menopause exit ticket

Meanwhile, I receive a letter from the CECOS* To ask me if I want to continue keeping my ovarian fabric. Each time, my answer is the same: yes! And I question them in return: can we one day be grafted it to me? We do a lot of uterus transplants so why not? I buried them with letters. I think I make them crazy!

And then, against all odds, in 2021, Professor Blandine Courbière, specialist in fertility in the center where my ovaries were frozen, contacted me. She explains to me that there is a new procedure which consists in grafting ovarian fabric under the skin. Not to have a baby, but to i saved myself – “thanks restore production of sex hormones and therefore, get out of menopause. The operation is simple at first: I am made a small incision at the level of the pelvic area. I am established some of my fragments of ovarian fabric. Only downside: it’s still experimental. The success of the intervention is uncertain. Never mind ! It’s my chance! I did not know it at the time but the reason why I have been keeping for so long. these little pieces of me is finally lighting!

My hormonal function resumes!

The operation was scheduled in June 2021. When I woke up, I see no change. Not even a small bulge in terms of transplant. Professor Courbière had warned me: the resumption of the ovarian function can take 6 months. I must be patient. I am aware that this is the last chance operation. So I do everything to pamper myself: I eat healthy, I play sports, … I take care of myself as if I was waiting for a child.

The first signs are felt 3 months later. They evoke the arrival of the rules (which will not come since I have no more uterus): vaginal losses. harm to breasts. I make a blood test to check my hormonal levels. I hasten to communicate the results to Pr Blandine Courbière. It is confirmed: my hormonal function resumes!

The Resurrection

I revise. My skin i saved myself – “thanks is tightened, my body sculpts, my bones are strengthened, the heat puffs disappear. I am better in my body and in my head. I find myself pretty, desirable. Additionally, I simply feel woman. At 42, it was time!

It is amazing everything that these little bits of organs are capable of. But their lifespan is limited. In May 2023, they stopped working. I am however serene: there are still enough frozen fragments to regret me and. in August 2023, 3 months after the second transplant, everything set out. I will be able to enjoy the youth for a few more years which cancer deprived me.

It is immense satisfaction to know that my fight was not in vain. But also that he will save years of suffering to other women in my case: thanks to the success of operations such as mine. the ovarian fabric i saved myself – “thanks transplant is now also authorized in order to delay the menopause caused by cancer treatments.