**UPDATE 5.29**"know how they say don't google symptoms..."
May 22, 2015 3:23:43 GMT
Kate *, lindywholoveskids, and 1 more like this
Post by compwalla on May 22, 2015 3:23:43 GMT
Because it always says you have a tumor? Sometimes Dr. Google is right on the money.
Scan today confirmed it's a tumor just like Google said it would be. Doc called me at home tonight to let me know that I'm to come in first thing in the morning to discuss treatment options all of which involve surgical eviction of the tumor. It is quite scary because the size of the tumor, as adrenal tumors go, is considered extremely large so either this has been there a long while and that's possibly bad or it's not been there a long while and has grown rapidly which is also bad. These kinds of tumors are very rarely cancerous but I'm the queen of shit that never happens actually happening. I'm trying not to think too hard on that and just get to the next step which is getting the nasty fucker out of there.
In some ways this is a huge relief because I knew something was dreadfully wrong and I kept pressing my docs (my primary care and my gyn) to push for answers that weren't blamed on perimenopause, you're getting older, or you need a hysterectomy. They never treated me like a hypochondriac and I don't think I ever acted like one but they were very quick to downplay my symptoms at first, all of which started out pretty subtly. No one thing was enough to cause alarm but together they all pointed down the same road. "Arrived at: adrenal tumor. Your destination is ahead on the right."
I do have an urge to call my primary care doc and tell her I told you so but I have other things to worry about at the moment, don't I?
Take away is be your own best advocate and feel free to google your symptoms if you want to. Sometimes it does help.
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Talked with my doc this morning. Tumors this large (it's baseball sized. tangerine if you prefer non-sports comparison objects) are cancer 90% of the time. The scan seems to show it hasn't spread which is a hopeful sign and as my doc said (repeatedly) that 90% means nothing. Yes, it's probably cancer but it might not be and we won't know until we get it out so one step at a go. They are scheduling me for surgery in Dallas within the next couple of weeks. Thanks for all the positive thoughts and well-wishes. I feel I've fallen down a rabbit hole.
****************************************
5/28/2015
My doc here is fantastic. He hand-picked my surgeon at UT Southwest and my surgery consult appointment is tomorrow in Dallas. Baseball eviction will get scheduled then. I'm expecting to be sliced and diced within the next couple of weeks. Everything has been handled urgently and for that I'm grateful. My parents are coming from Kansas when we know the date. One of them will stay with my kids and one is coming to Dallas with me and my husband. I told my parents they didn't need to come, that my husband's family was here to help and my mother said, "If you think I'm sitting in Kansas while they open you up in Dallas, you have another think coming. I'm going to be there or in Midland with your boys so you take you pick." I should have known. Your mom is your mom and you're still her baby even when you're in your forties.
Thanks again to all y'all for the warmth and support. It's just nice to know people are pulling for you.
***********************
5/29
Surgery is scheduled for Monday, 7 am. They are not wasting time. I'm nervous but really looking forward to getting this over with. Will be in the hospital four to six days because they have to go in the hard way and get this. My surgeon is a specialist in adrenal surgery and I have a lot of confidence in him. Best hope for a good outcome cancer or not is clean margins. This means I might also lose part of the kidney and pancreas but we won't know until he gets in there. He is very impressive, warm, and compassionate and I feel I'm in very good hands. I'm ready to get better.
Scan today confirmed it's a tumor just like Google said it would be. Doc called me at home tonight to let me know that I'm to come in first thing in the morning to discuss treatment options all of which involve surgical eviction of the tumor. It is quite scary because the size of the tumor, as adrenal tumors go, is considered extremely large so either this has been there a long while and that's possibly bad or it's not been there a long while and has grown rapidly which is also bad. These kinds of tumors are very rarely cancerous but I'm the queen of shit that never happens actually happening. I'm trying not to think too hard on that and just get to the next step which is getting the nasty fucker out of there.
In some ways this is a huge relief because I knew something was dreadfully wrong and I kept pressing my docs (my primary care and my gyn) to push for answers that weren't blamed on perimenopause, you're getting older, or you need a hysterectomy. They never treated me like a hypochondriac and I don't think I ever acted like one but they were very quick to downplay my symptoms at first, all of which started out pretty subtly. No one thing was enough to cause alarm but together they all pointed down the same road. "Arrived at: adrenal tumor. Your destination is ahead on the right."
I do have an urge to call my primary care doc and tell her I told you so but I have other things to worry about at the moment, don't I?
Take away is be your own best advocate and feel free to google your symptoms if you want to. Sometimes it does help.
***************************************
Talked with my doc this morning. Tumors this large (it's baseball sized. tangerine if you prefer non-sports comparison objects) are cancer 90% of the time. The scan seems to show it hasn't spread which is a hopeful sign and as my doc said (repeatedly) that 90% means nothing. Yes, it's probably cancer but it might not be and we won't know until we get it out so one step at a go. They are scheduling me for surgery in Dallas within the next couple of weeks. Thanks for all the positive thoughts and well-wishes. I feel I've fallen down a rabbit hole.
****************************************
5/28/2015
My doc here is fantastic. He hand-picked my surgeon at UT Southwest and my surgery consult appointment is tomorrow in Dallas. Baseball eviction will get scheduled then. I'm expecting to be sliced and diced within the next couple of weeks. Everything has been handled urgently and for that I'm grateful. My parents are coming from Kansas when we know the date. One of them will stay with my kids and one is coming to Dallas with me and my husband. I told my parents they didn't need to come, that my husband's family was here to help and my mother said, "If you think I'm sitting in Kansas while they open you up in Dallas, you have another think coming. I'm going to be there or in Midland with your boys so you take you pick." I should have known. Your mom is your mom and you're still her baby even when you're in your forties.
Thanks again to all y'all for the warmth and support. It's just nice to know people are pulling for you.
***********************
5/29
Surgery is scheduled for Monday, 7 am. They are not wasting time. I'm nervous but really looking forward to getting this over with. Will be in the hospital four to six days because they have to go in the hard way and get this. My surgeon is a specialist in adrenal surgery and I have a lot of confidence in him. Best hope for a good outcome cancer or not is clean margins. This means I might also lose part of the kidney and pancreas but we won't know until he gets in there. He is very impressive, warm, and compassionate and I feel I'm in very good hands. I'm ready to get better.