We offer a big heartfelt thanks for all the prayers and well wishes. It’s Not A Tumor was the beginnings of this emotional roller coaster ride. Today was the BIG day. Lulu got the results. Superstitions abound. We were in Agony but not worried. Musical Therapy got us through somehow. May 18th had to be a good day. After all, I graduated 34 years ago on this day. Ah the memories. This lame attempt at humor is brought to you by several sleepless nights and my need to defuse any and all situations with humor.
So here are the details as we lay people understand them. I am NOT going on WebMD to validate; just repeating what we’ve been told. Do NOT read any further if you don’t want the gory details.
Blood work and other assorted labs have come back with no evidence of cancer. The family history scare is silenced. She has an undefined or indeterminate (I cannot remember the adjective) pelvic cyst which is 16 cm. We no longer have to say mass or tumor. CYST. and 16 cm. That’s huge! She was given three options:
- Surgery the old fashion way/safest way considering what she is dealing with. She will have a vertical incision and the cyst will be removed intact and sent off for further testing. No cancer markers is not an absolute and further testing is a given. Keeping the cyst intact is a priority. If it ruptures, there could be complications. Two night hospital stay and six weeks recovery period.
- Surgery a less invasive way – horizontal cut at the bikini line (that she is not really a candidate for because the cyst is up too high). Significantly increases chance of rupture.
- Suck it out (layman’s term) for draining the cyst. The least invasive of the three options. Risk is low but could create complications.
Bottom line is that undefined, undetermined, indeterminate = not sure exactly. The doctor will know full well what she is dealing with only after she gets in there. I did ask if the cyst could be affecting other organs and the doctor confirmed the cyst (based on the ultrasound) is only within the pelvic area. She further explained she will try to save the uterus – top priority given Lulu is only 19. There is a chance she could lose her right ovary or right fallopian tube or both. The odds are still in her favor.
Doc only does surgery on Fridays. Lulu is her first patient on Friday 6/2. Tomorrow is too soon and booked solid anyway. 5/26 is a possibility. Doc is booked 5/26 too but one surgery is pending insurance approvals. If insurance does not go through, Lulu gets that spot. As much as she wants this over with, we both said a prayer the insurance will approve the other lady. See how life can sometimes suck! Do not get me started on another healthcare rant. Haves and have-nots. We are in the HAVE category. Doc said if Lulu starts having any pain or becomes emergent, to go directly to the ER.
We know that’s not going to happen. What’s supposed to happen is already rolling along. As always, more to come.
J-Dub's Grin and Bear It 