Me and My Basketball
My Gastroenterologist ordered a CT scan of my small intestine to check the progress of my Entyvio infusions for my Chron’s disease. I had told him that if I didn’t have diarrhea, nausea, and weakness that I had pain, pressure and bloating.
Less than two hours after my scan my doctor called me…not a good sign! He explained that they found a large mass in my pelvic area. I made an appointment with my Urogynecologist to find out exactly what it was and what to do about it. He did an ultrasound and said that I had an ovarian tumor the size of a cantaloupe. I knew that I was facing surgery, but I was hoping it would be laparoscopic surgery. He said it was too big for that and he would go back in the same incision where I had a hysterectomy and an ectopic pregnancy removal. I knew the pain and recovery I would be facing…or so I thought!
My doctor said he could do the surgery the following Friday. He stated he had planned to take the day off to travel but he could do my surgery and then go on his trip. I said it sounds like you want to do it quickly. He said it is more because I know you are uncomfortable. I was more than uncomfortable, I was in pain, so I said next Friday will be good! I had pain in my lower, left, pelvic area. By the following week, I was starting to have pain on both sides of my pelvis.
When I woke up from the surgery in the recovery room, I remember being very groggy, sensitive to the overhead lights, freezing cold, and moaning and moaning because I was in so much pain. I was in there about two hours, much longer than expected. When they took me to my room I looked like a mummy because of all the blankets they had wrapped around my head and the rest of my body trying to keep me warm and to block the lights.
My nurse and me as the mummy.
The first person I saw was my husband. I remember grabbing his hand and a wealth of emotions came over me. I was so thankful to see him again. He told me what the doctor said, but it was a little different from what we finally figured out to be the whole story.
My doctor removed the tumor after he drained over three liters of fluid from it. He said it was bigger than a basketball and that I was the equivalent of being past a full-term pregnancy in size. He said it was stuck to my intestines and wrapped around my ureter. He had to cut my ureter. Another doctor then came in to finish the surgery.
A Urologist had to reconstruct my bladder in order to reach the ureter. He then stitched me up and put in 17 staples. When I woke up I had a catheter that would stay in for ten days. After talking to the Urologist, I also realized that I would be in the hospital for three days instead of one!
My recovery was going to be longer and more complicated. I was going to be in a lot more pain than I originally thought. But the Good Lord blessed me with an amazing support system. My husband spent every night in the hospital with me and waited on me hand and foot, to the point that I started saying that I would do things myself just because I knew that I needed to move around more. He was also a huge encourager to me to continue to get up and move around.
My daughter and my sister stayed with me so that my husband could go home feed the cats, shower, etc. It was so good to have them and other visitors during my stay at what seemed like a very expensive spa retreat. I had nurses checking on me every couple of hours, a special bed that assisted me in resting, sitting up, and getting up to walk. I rested more those 3 days than I ever have on any vacation and spent lots of quality time with my husband.
In a way, it was very relaxing. I usually try to look on the bright side of things. I knew I wouldn’t get that kind of rest after I left that “spa.” I tried to make the best of my time with my family and friends. Although I had to go through a lot to get that much-needed rest. I appreciated it for what it was. It was an escape from the fast pace of everyday life and my long To Do Lists both at home and work.
I believe the Lord allows us to go through struggles to slow us down and make us really think about what is important in life. For me, my Faith, Family, and Friends are so important to me. I also appreciate the importance of the expert care of my doctors and have written Thank You cards to them.
I want to continue to reach out to those that mean so much to me in my life. I want to continue to give the Lord what He is due. He has brought me through such a difficult time and provided so much love to me from Him and my loved ones.
During my recent follow-up visit with my Urogynecologist that did the initial surgery, I asked him what is the take away from all of this that I can pass along to others so that they will benefit from what I have been through. The main take away that I can pass along is to encourage all ladies to have their yearly physical exam. Since I had a hysterectomy, I don’t have to have pap smears, so I don’t have annual exams. This could have been another way that my doctor would have found my tumor sooner. Given the other issues I have, such as Crohn’s disease and Interstitial Cystitis; pain, pressure and bloating in the pelvic area are common. I suffered for a long time and I don’t want any other woman to have to suffer needlessly as I did.
My story could have ended very differently. My pathology reports could have come back with a malignant tumor instead of benign. I can’t imagine recovering from this surgery, dealing with Crohn’s, Fibromyalgia, etc., etc. AND being told that I have cancer. Thankfully I don’t have to worry about that and hopefully, this will help some of you to take action on a much-needed cancer screening that you have put off or to encourage a family member or friend to take this step in cancer prevention and unnecessary pain.
Me and my basketball.
If you have a similar story or heed my words of advice, please let me know in the comments section.
