Post-op on 5/16/11

I'm sorry I haven't wrote in awhile. I wanted to make sure I was lucid enough to not write something I would regret later. Then I waited because I had today's appointment coming up. I was really nervous going into this appointment today not sure what I would hear in regards to the pathology report and especially didn't expect to hear what I did. It started off great with my doctor coming in and asking "Are you ready to hear some really good news?" Uh.... HECK YEAH! So the really good news was that the pathology report on all 16 biopsies came back as negative. They have not found that it traveled out of my "girlie regions" and my doctor stated there is no reason I can't be fully cured of this. 

The thing I wasn't expecting to hear was that I literally had 2 cancers simultaneously. I had Endometrial Cancer stage 1B Grade 2 and Ovarian Cancer 1A Grade 2. This was a little hard to swallow for me since I know how deadly Ovarian Cancer can be. The more I think about this whole thing the more blessed I feel that I am alive. Had it not been for the signs from the Endometrial Cancer I would have not gone in and been checked out. I had no clue this other tumor was growing inside of me and I now know why Ovarian Cancer is called the "Silent Killer". My tumor had already grown from a softball size when I had the PET Scan last month to 20.9 X 12.7 X 9.4 cm. I am a visual person so I asked the doctor about what size is that and I almost hit the floor when he showed me. I have seen premature babies this size. When you are talking cm's it is hard to envision because we use inches a lot more so it is like 8.2 X 5 X 3.7 inches if you can better picture that.

My doctor stated that if I just had the Endometrial Cancer he would see me back in 6 months for a check-up and if I just had the Ovarian Cancer he would start me on chemo/radiation as soon as I was healed from my hysterectomy but since I had/have (no clue which one it is anymore) both he wants to get opinions of his colleagues as to which to do and how much. He said he doesn't want to give not enough but then again he doesn't want to do too much. We have 4 weeks before we will meet again and start me on whatever he thinks is best. Until then I will focus on staying positive and get some things done while I have some energy. 

I would like to thank everyone that has been following my blog, commenting with encouraging things, saying prayers for me and my family, keeping us in your thoughts, driving me/us places, sending me BEAUTIFUL flowers and cards, bringing me dinners, planning my dinners, visiting me in the hospital, getting me a private room in the hospital, staying with me and lovingly taking care of me for a month without fail, calling and checking on me, texting me and Facebooking me! You all are absolutely wonderful and I thank God everyday for you!!!! I love you guys!

The Big Surgery

Well everyone, the time has come for my big surgery. I went today and did my pre-op at the Dr.'s office and the hospital. The doctor advised that he will be taking the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, all the lymph nodes (which I just thought he was doing biopsies on), and of course the other mass they found I like to call Osama Bin Tumor. My team of navy seals will be going in to get him tomorrow. The doctor also advised that there is a possibility that they will have to go back in after this surgery so that was a bummer to hear.

My Baptist pre-op was interesting, to say the least. Sitting in the little waiting room and watching what was taking place led me to believe it would be a rough attempt at getting blood work done today. I am not an "easy stick" as I have been told but this nurse... So she attempted, very painfully, to get blood. As she stood there with the needle in my hand for the second time, rolling it around to hit the vain she decided she was done and raised her white flag. This was a great decision on her part as I was just about to ask for someone else. So in comes the nurse manager who was able to get it the first time and not nearly as painful! Finally after an hour and a half of pre-op I was done and walked out to the waiting room. I must have looked a hot mess with all 3 of my band-aides on because my mom asked me who won. Needless to say, if this particular nurse comes in to do my IV I will have to insist on anyone else.

I wanted to let everyone know that I found out in my last appointment that when we women go to our yearly pap smears they test for cervical cancer but not uterine. You have to request it or be having symptoms in order for them to check for uterine. This seems to be a huge disservice to women considering if we wait until we are having symptoms the chances of us already having some form of uterine cancer is highly likely. Please make sure you pass this information on to all the women in your life.  

I will be in the hospital until either Saturday or Sunday and I will post again after I am home and lucid. Again, I appreciate all the well wishes, prayers and dinners people have volunteered to bring. Please also be praying for another woman who is around my age and in there for the same exact thing. Her name is Jessica and I met her today at pre-op. She is very nervous about tomorrow and has other things that she has had to deal with that have come up with all her testing. Thank you again!

Molly