A mother of four, was a stay at home wife, when i tested positive to stage 2 cervical cancer at the Lagos State Skill Acquisition Centre Egbeda.
The first opportunity to experience cervical screening was in 2016 at the Primary Health Centre Akowonjo. The nurse sent me away without carrying out the screening because of the offensive smell from my vagina.
I never knew anything about cervical cancer before that time... I was embarrassed, humiliated and became laid back. Never told anyone about my experience at the health centre, did not go to the hospital and did not confide in anyone including my husband.
Occasionally I would ask Google what is the cause of the smell from my vagina. I would read the suggestions from Google, pray and ask God for mercy but did nothing medically.
On the 21st July 2016, Society for Family Health, came to Lagos State Skill Acquisition Centre Egbeda for screening and I was running a training program there. I was not going to subject myself to any kind of humiliation after my last experience. I only wanted to ask the matron why I experienced the smelling discharge. When I got into the room, I prayed that God should bless everyone of them in JESUS name. ...Amen.
The matron invited me in, asked if am a pastor's wife and told me to lay down for examination. When I opened up, she covered her nose, I immediately knew I was in trouble. She did the test and requested to see a member of my family before telling me my results. I started crying, called my elder sister, who got to us in less than an hour.
The matron did the same screening for her and told her to treat for STI, looked at me, and told her that for this woman. the cancer is spreading. My sister said, which cancer???? Franca doesn't have cancer ooooo.... I quickly responded, exactly I don't have cancer. what I have is toilet infection and I have been treating it. Well the matron did her best to educate us, consoled me, gave me a long list of what to eat and what not to eat, top on the list was noodles and soft drinks. Immediately she mentioned those two, I told myself that this woman knew exactly what I have been battling with, she counselled me and got me to start cryotherapy with them for free.
The first matron at the health centre was not professional, she was cruel.... People like her are the reasons some women will never go to general hospital.
Imagine that God didn't bring Society for family health my way....
Imagine how many women the health centre matron might have discharged without screening like she did to me.
Our health care providers are NOT properly trained and many of them are given to bribery, corruption and neglect for those of us who do not know someone who knows someone, who knows someone who knows them.
Watch video of my full story, healing journey and how I was called Madam Toilet Infection at Yaba market on YouTube
you and God bless, Amen.
