Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Doctors doctors and more doctors

 

I work with doctors. They have a lot of my respect for their extended education and their often-selfless choice of occupation. However – in the end they are just people, and as capable as a mistake as an filing clerk.

All that said, I’m a pretty well informed patient. I do my own research and I work in the medical field, so I have at least a basic knowledge of how these things work. This either drives physicians nuts (like those that believe MD is actually greek for God), or it makes me a valuable player on “Team Heal-Me”. I’ve run into both types of MDs in this process of working through my own illnesses. I’ve found an MD that I trust and can now unload some of the gorier details for ya’ll.

Basically, my right ovary is about 5cm in diameter. From the imaging, we can tell that 4.6 cm of that is covered with something nasty. There is both a simple cyst and a mass there. So that leaves about .4cm of possibly functioning organ. Those aren’t good odds. So here’s the plan: While he’s going to try and remove just the growths, there is a very good chance he’ll just take the whole thing. At this point, it may be a safe, operating assumption that the whole thing has just become one nasty mess with little to no functioning ovary left to speak of. So we’ll be scheduling a laprascopic procedure for that within the next 2-3 weeks. Expected recovery time is about 1 week. That doesn’t mean I’ll be back up to full speed in 1 week, but I should be walking comfortably after that (which means, ½ marathon training, here I come!). Though the left one is also covered with cysts, we’re leaving that alone. Some of those maybe normal (for me anyway), and there’s no reason to throw myself into menopause right now.

Also, due to some bleeding issues I’ve been having, and some consistant pain/tenderness, I’m scheduled for an endometrial bx prior to that (June 2nd). This is a simple outpatient procedure that doesn’t have any more of a recovery period than a really uncomfortable pap smear.


So, a reminder to all you folks out there in the blogsphere: ASK QUESTIONS, and DON’T BE AFRAID TO GET A 2ND OPINION! If it weren’t for that, I’d still be in the “watch and wait” mode. We have some wonderful tools at understanding our health care decisions at our finger tips. USE THEM! Be educated and don’t be afraid to SPEAK UP if something doesn’t feel right. Be persistant. YOU KNOW YOUR BODY BETTER THAN ANYONE.

So, all that said, I’ll get off my soap box now and share some good news:

By the time all this really goes down, I should be transitioned to work from home FULL TIME! This will be a dream come true for me, and my company won’t miss out on my services all the time. Yes, it means I’ve had to slow my roll in the demanding world of theater, but I’ve met some wonderful people and have a great support mechanism out there.

Working from home will be a great boon in other ways as well. It may offer a solid income, flexibility in hours to persue my other dreams, and unbind me from my current location, should I decide to pick up and move when this lease expires.

Yes, every once in a while I get down and my inner child throws a minor “Why Me?!” pity party. But ya know what? It could always be a LOT worse, so I’m grateful that (right now) it isn’t. I also understand that there is a timing to everything in life. I have to understand that I am going into this when I’m supposed to, the way I’m supposed to. I have to believe there is some larger plan to all of this, even if that plan is to just share my story so someone else going through this won’t feel alone and ashamed. (Yes, I said “ashamed”. Though I understand I’ve done nothing to bring this upon myself, I have an intimate understanding of all the reasons why women feel ashamed when their body doesn’t cooperate in one of the unique things that a woman’s body is ‘supposed’ to be able to do. Afterall, 15 year old crack whores get pregnant without trying. There are also a lot of symptoms that go along with hormone related problems that can be very “dewomanizing” as well- and the American General Public does not judge these things lightly.)


So that’s the latest.

Please sign up to follow my more updated blog www.roastedbearmeat.blogspot.com too! (This one has contests and is far more entertaining than my moaning and groaning here.)

5 comments:

  1. ((Hugs)) to you. Glad you are able to stay positive!

    <3, Andi

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  2. I'm sorry to read about your further issues, J. I know it can be frustrating and scary to be in medical limbo, so I am happy that you are getting the treatment you need. You seem to be in good hands with your surgeon. I'm always around if you need to vent about health-related stuff. If you feel up to it, keep us updated on your progress :)

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  3. Just found your blog (through Less Than Domestic Goddess, whose posts also offered a lot of comfort to me), and all I can say is THANK YOU. Thank you so, so much. I am going through these things - except I continue to be in the "wait-and-see" mode, and doctors continue to tell me to try to get pregnant for a while and then come back if it's still an issue. Like you said, IT'S AN ISSUE whether there's a baby involved or not. I appreciate hearing your thoughts and advice to "be my own advocate." Truly. I'm sitting at my computer with tears right now because someone else *gets* it. So, thanks.

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  4. Krista - I can't believe I JUST found this comment! I'm so glad my blog has been helpful for you! I'm re-reading some stuff as I go through another similiar medical journey 2 years after all this.

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