In her stunning bridal gown and with delicate flowers in her hair, Chloe Wong* was determined that nothing would spoil her big day – not even the fact that a few weeks ago, her doctor had told her she might have cancer. “Your wedding is supposed to be the happiest time of your life,” recalls the 39-year-old public relations director. “In my case, I was dealing with what could possibly be cervical cancer.”
Beginnings
It was two months before her big day – in April 2011 – and Chloe and her fiance, banker Jules Martin*, were busy making plans for their wedding. She scheduled her regular Pap smear and thought nothing of it.
“I do a Pap smear every year or so,” says Chloe. “But my lifestyle was unhealthy at that time. I smoked, and had a lot of work stress, with late nights at events that involved drinking alcohol and eating rich food.”
Still, nothing prepared her for the results that came back.
“It was bad news,” recounts Chloe. “My doctor said it was Stage 2 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), the precursor of cervical cancer. “I was told to rest and relax, and try to cut down on stress and retake the test in two weeks. The hope was that perhaps the Stage 2 CIN would lower to Stage 1 and eventually disappear.”
Even worse news
Finding out she could potentially have cancer – and a few weeks before her wedding – was the hardest thing Chloe had to cope with. She spent the next few weeks researching CIN and cervical cancer. She also cried a lot, and prayed for good news during the second testing.
But this time, the results were even worse. Her doctor said it was Stage 2 to 3 CIN. This meant that if she didn’t have surgery to remove the abnormal cells in her cervix, the next stage would be Stage 1 cervical cancer.
The next step was to undergo a colposcopy. In this procedure, the doctor uses a special magnifying device to check the vulva, vagina and cervix, where a sample of tissue may be taken and looked at under a microscope.
“I was so upset – I learnt you can’t choose when you fall sick. I was confused and felt lost when I met with my gynaecologist. I questioned why it had to happen just before my wedding. I was devastated that I would be an unhappy bride.”
It didn’t help that Jules was overseas for work at the time. Chloe had to break the news to him over Skype, which was less than ideal.
“He was shocked and worried about not being here for me. I cried the entire week he was gone, asking ‘why me?’”
The show must go on
When Jules returned to Singapore, the couple discussed what to do. They found out that CIN is fairly common and that many women get CIN Stage 1 at some point in their lives; others may get Stage 2, which sometimes subsides if their immune systems strengthen and their stress levels are managed.
In Chloe’s case, she had two choices: Either wait and see if the abnormal cells disappear, or have them removed through a laser procedure.
“I wanted to go ahead with the wedding as all the planning and preparations were done. The wedding was for my husband, as much as it was for me,” says Chloe. “But I also wanted to fix the problem as soon as possible. I am a perfectionist and in my line of work – everything must be in order.
“So I decided to have the surgery a couple of days after our wedding dinner. I wanted to get it done with and move on.”
With the decision made not to postpone the wedding, it was all systems go. Only Jules and a couple of close friends knew about her health condition, and Chloe was determined to make sure all the guests enjoyed the festivities.
“I work in public relations and I have to host clients’ events. My wedding was like an event, so I just got into work mode and smiled my way through it. It would be unfair to my husband if I acted unhappy – it was his big day too.
“I put on a brave face, even though I was worried sick. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy my wedding at all. My mindset was not of a happy bride but a worried patient. It was the most challenging period in my life.”
Heading for surgery
The wedding went well and a couple of days later, when the newly-weds should have been relaxing on their honeymoon, Chloe prepped for her surgery. The day was filled with mixed emotions. She was anxious, nervous and worried, but also looking forward to putting it all behind her.
“The surgery is normally done under local anaesthesia, but because I have vaginismus, any form of penetration under stress is unbearable,” says Chloe. “Instead, I had it done in an operating theatre under general anaesthesia. There were more risks involved, but I had no choice.” Vaginismus is a condition where a woman experiences pain with vaginal penetration.
Chloe spent half a day in hospital and was allowed to go home once the effects of the anaesthesia had worn off. “The first few days post-surgery were difficult. I felt as if I had a cactus between my legs. When I walked, it hurt in my nether region, partly physically and partly psychologically, I guess.”
Making changes
At first, Chloe had follow-up tests every month to monitor the condition. Then it was every three months, followed by every six months, to the annual check-ups she now has. Her doctor had told her that even with the abnormal cells removed, there was still a risk of the condition recurring again if she didn’t change her lifestyle and take care of her health.
“I changed my life gradually. The first thing was to get rid of the toxic people in my life, who caused me unnecessary stress. Life is too short to waste time on unworthy people, so I began to surround myself with positive people instead.
“I started exercising and having a better work-life balance to manage my stress level.” She also educated herself about better nutrition.
“I made a conscious decision to eat better and made the switch to organic produce. These days, I grow my own herbs and am planning to grow my own vegetables. I cook a lot more at home and have switched to 80 per cent vegan meals. I have also cut down on sugar, dairy and processed food.
“Jules wasn’t exactly a healthy eater before, either. Now, he loves the vegan and vegetarian meals I prepare at home. We are more conscious and mindful of what we eat and where our food is sourced from.”
Chloe also started running last year, working her way up to marathons. She completed the Tokyo Marathon and has signed up for the New York City Marathon in November this year.
“I plan to run all the world majors – London, Chicago, Berlin, Boston, Tokyo and New York. After which, I will do an ultramarathon and hopefully, the Ironman one day.”
Happy and healthy
With her health scare behind her and the positive changes in her life, Chloe has never felt better. “It was a really difficult time, but now I look back and am thankful. With hindsight, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It made me change for the better. Otherwise, I would still be a stressed-out person surrounded by negativity.
“Today, I am happy and positive, with radiant skin, and a fit and healthy body. I realise the secrets to a happy and healthy life are daily exercise and a dose of nature; a positive mindset; eating well and clean; and constant learning and self-enrichment. I never stop learning and have got into gardening, meditation and cooking.
“Now I want to inspire others to use fitness to overcome depression. There is nothing shameful about falling sick and not being in control. What matters is how we conquer and triumph.”
This article was originally published in Simply Her September 2015.