Well. This week has been one for the books apparently. Because i'm blogging about it.
Last May-ish, James and I were going up to Gainsville to play some ultimate frisbee, and I noticed a slight stitch in my side. It came before we started playing, so I knew it wasn't injury related. I kept hoping that it would go away on its own, because I hate going to the dr. It wasn't really painful per say. Just... there. I would notice it mostly when I breathed in deep. I asked my dad, and Roman about it this summer when we were back in Idaho for the Burk Family Reunion. Neither of them had any real guesses as to it's nature, so I just kept keepin on. I for a long time, thought it was related to my IBS, so I started taking pro-biotics, pre-biotics, and fiber supplements. I made sure I was getting enough water every day, but it persisted.
James and I wanted to start trying for another baby in October of 17. I finally decided to go to the dr's so I could get a clean bill of health, and start trying. After doing blood tests, my thyroid came back at a 24. To give some perspective "Normal" is between .5-4.5. So I was just waaay off the charts. They prescribed Levothyroxine, and told me I would have to wait a month or two to start trying for a baby. I mentioned the pain in my side, and she said it was probably costocondritis. Which is an inflamation of the muscles around the ribs. After we talked about it a little more, she told me maybe I should go see a gastroenterologist. Ugh.
I called Gastroenterology specialists of Lawrenceville and got in to see Dr Parihk November 12th. After describing my symptoms and my history of GI issues (IBS, Constipation, Cramping etc). He thought I was constipated, so he told me I should take Miralax for 2 weeks, and if the pain didn't go away, we would most likely need to do a CT scan of my abdomen.
Fast forward about 8 weeks, and the new year, and I finally went in for a CT scan on January 5th. I didn't want to have such an exspensive test($360) done at the end of the year, then start my deductible over with my insurance. The test was done on a Friday, and I had a follow up appointment on Monday afternoon. James peaced out of work an hour early so he could be there with me when they told me what was going on.
My Dr read me the impression that the radiologist got from the CT scan
"Large area of inflammatory changes involving the mesentery in the lower central abdomen extending into the upper pelvis with associated lymphadenopathy, which demonstrates mild mass effect on the mesenteric vessels and displacement of small bowel loops. Findings are concerning for liposcarcoma vs lymphoma. Recommend further evaluation with tissue sampling or PET CT"
Dr Parihk said, "It looks like you have a 10 cm lesion in your mesentary track." In my head, lesion means, cut.. or perforation. So, i'm thinking, ok, theres an internal cut. What can we do about it? But then he was like... no... it's not a cut.. a lesion is also another word for a mass of cells.. that shouldn't be there.
I had to keep asking clarifying questions. I felt confused and a little numb trying to wrap my mind around what he was saying. He seemed flustered. I think he had just read the report himself and it surprised him. He hadn't prepared himself to share the news with me that I might have a cancerous tumor in my abdomen. I tried being tough in front of him. Resolute. Like, how can we fix this? But as soon as we walked out of the patient room and into the lobby, I just started sobbing in James arms. I felt like i'd been hit in the face with a baseball bat. I'm only 27. How could this happen to me?? I don't have any vices. I eat well. I exercise fairly regularly. I live a healthy lifestyle. But, I have a Mango sized tumor in my lower abdomen. (10.2 x 9.6 x 14.2 cm)
And it has to come out. Somehow. I don't know if it will have to be treated with Chemotherapy, radiation, or if they can just surgically extract it. There are so many unknowns. I feel so helpless.
I did a lot of "why me" questions that first day. My biggest fear is that it will prevent me from having more children. Or that I won't live to watch Benson grow. That breaks my heart. I worry more for him than I do for me. All I could think of was Aunt Meridan. She passed away when Jacob was just a little boy. About Benson's age.
Something comforting...A few days before my CT scan, I had some pain in my side in the middle of the night. It woke me up. I woke up James and asked him to give me a blessing, which he did. He blessed me that the Lord would work with me and my desire to have more children. That was comforting, albeit, still scary. I think it was kind of a ... foreshadowing of what was to come.
Larry recommended I get a Pet/CT scan and an MRI before we even thought about doing a biopsy, so, we'll see how those go.
Last May-ish, James and I were going up to Gainsville to play some ultimate frisbee, and I noticed a slight stitch in my side. It came before we started playing, so I knew it wasn't injury related. I kept hoping that it would go away on its own, because I hate going to the dr. It wasn't really painful per say. Just... there. I would notice it mostly when I breathed in deep. I asked my dad, and Roman about it this summer when we were back in Idaho for the Burk Family Reunion. Neither of them had any real guesses as to it's nature, so I just kept keepin on. I for a long time, thought it was related to my IBS, so I started taking pro-biotics, pre-biotics, and fiber supplements. I made sure I was getting enough water every day, but it persisted.
James and I wanted to start trying for another baby in October of 17. I finally decided to go to the dr's so I could get a clean bill of health, and start trying. After doing blood tests, my thyroid came back at a 24. To give some perspective "Normal" is between .5-4.5. So I was just waaay off the charts. They prescribed Levothyroxine, and told me I would have to wait a month or two to start trying for a baby. I mentioned the pain in my side, and she said it was probably costocondritis. Which is an inflamation of the muscles around the ribs. After we talked about it a little more, she told me maybe I should go see a gastroenterologist. Ugh.
I called Gastroenterology specialists of Lawrenceville and got in to see Dr Parihk November 12th. After describing my symptoms and my history of GI issues (IBS, Constipation, Cramping etc). He thought I was constipated, so he told me I should take Miralax for 2 weeks, and if the pain didn't go away, we would most likely need to do a CT scan of my abdomen.
Fast forward about 8 weeks, and the new year, and I finally went in for a CT scan on January 5th. I didn't want to have such an exspensive test($360) done at the end of the year, then start my deductible over with my insurance. The test was done on a Friday, and I had a follow up appointment on Monday afternoon. James peaced out of work an hour early so he could be there with me when they told me what was going on.
My Dr read me the impression that the radiologist got from the CT scan
"Large area of inflammatory changes involving the mesentery in the lower central abdomen extending into the upper pelvis with associated lymphadenopathy, which demonstrates mild mass effect on the mesenteric vessels and displacement of small bowel loops. Findings are concerning for liposcarcoma vs lymphoma. Recommend further evaluation with tissue sampling or PET CT"
Dr Parihk said, "It looks like you have a 10 cm lesion in your mesentary track." In my head, lesion means, cut.. or perforation. So, i'm thinking, ok, theres an internal cut. What can we do about it? But then he was like... no... it's not a cut.. a lesion is also another word for a mass of cells.. that shouldn't be there.
I had to keep asking clarifying questions. I felt confused and a little numb trying to wrap my mind around what he was saying. He seemed flustered. I think he had just read the report himself and it surprised him. He hadn't prepared himself to share the news with me that I might have a cancerous tumor in my abdomen. I tried being tough in front of him. Resolute. Like, how can we fix this? But as soon as we walked out of the patient room and into the lobby, I just started sobbing in James arms. I felt like i'd been hit in the face with a baseball bat. I'm only 27. How could this happen to me?? I don't have any vices. I eat well. I exercise fairly regularly. I live a healthy lifestyle. But, I have a Mango sized tumor in my lower abdomen. (10.2 x 9.6 x 14.2 cm)
And it has to come out. Somehow. I don't know if it will have to be treated with Chemotherapy, radiation, or if they can just surgically extract it. There are so many unknowns. I feel so helpless.
I did a lot of "why me" questions that first day. My biggest fear is that it will prevent me from having more children. Or that I won't live to watch Benson grow. That breaks my heart. I worry more for him than I do for me. All I could think of was Aunt Meridan. She passed away when Jacob was just a little boy. About Benson's age.
Something comforting...A few days before my CT scan, I had some pain in my side in the middle of the night. It woke me up. I woke up James and asked him to give me a blessing, which he did. He blessed me that the Lord would work with me and my desire to have more children. That was comforting, albeit, still scary. I think it was kind of a ... foreshadowing of what was to come.
Larry recommended I get a Pet/CT scan and an MRI before we even thought about doing a biopsy, so, we'll see how those go.
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