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Health Update
I go in for surgery on Wednesday.
I went for my surgical consult last Tuesday and the doctor was very thorough, getting a history, asking the right questions, checking things out for herself (so glad I didn't have to drop trou for another male doctor). I've decided to call the lumps the Fab Five, since "the lumps" sounds so gross. While she is not sure if they are lipomas or panniculitis, she feels that in order to do a biopsy, she would have to make a large incision and if she's going to make a huge cut on my ass, she might as well take the whole lump (whom I have dubbed 'Pete') right out and have a larger biopsy sample for the lab to analyse.
So, I'm not allowed to take anything for pain 10 days before surgery (thank God I hadn't taken anything for the few days prior to my appointment) to reduce bleeding on the operating table. I hurt. Heat and cold do nothing to relieve it. But it's only two more days and then Pete will be gone. Maybe if it's close enough to Pete, they can cut John out of there...(sensing a theme yet?)
The surgeon warns that the scar will be big and ugly (I told her I'm not planning to wear a bikini anytime soon), it will hurt A LOT, it will bruise and swell. She will inject me with some local freezing just before she finishes so I can at least get to the pharmacy for pain meds and then home without being in excrutiating pain.
My friend Alex has taken the day off so that he can pick me up from the hospital, thereby leaving my dad free to get my son from school without either one of us having to wait. Alex has really stepped up to the plate, above and beyond the call of friendship. Jim has used up his sick days at work, so I didn't even ask him to take a half day off. I knew what the answer would be. I'm worried about how my kids are going to be taken care of if I'm in too much pain to do it myself. Many of my friends have offered their help. I hope I won't need it, but if I do, I know there are people I can count on and that is very gratifying. I am hoping to not have to rely on my parents for help, because that help comes with a price tag.
worriedI went for my surgical consult last Tuesday and the doctor was very thorough, getting a history, asking the right questions, checking things out for herself (so glad I didn't have to drop trou for another male doctor). I've decided to call the lumps the Fab Five, since "the lumps" sounds so gross. While she is not sure if they are lipomas or panniculitis, she feels that in order to do a biopsy, she would have to make a large incision and if she's going to make a huge cut on my ass, she might as well take the whole lump (whom I have dubbed 'Pete') right out and have a larger biopsy sample for the lab to analyse.
So, I'm not allowed to take anything for pain 10 days before surgery (thank God I hadn't taken anything for the few days prior to my appointment) to reduce bleeding on the operating table. I hurt. Heat and cold do nothing to relieve it. But it's only two more days and then Pete will be gone. Maybe if it's close enough to Pete, they can cut John out of there...(sensing a theme yet?)
The surgeon warns that the scar will be big and ugly (I told her I'm not planning to wear a bikini anytime soon), it will hurt A LOT, it will bruise and swell. She will inject me with some local freezing just before she finishes so I can at least get to the pharmacy for pain meds and then home without being in excrutiating pain.
My friend Alex has taken the day off so that he can pick me up from the hospital, thereby leaving my dad free to get my son from school without either one of us having to wait. Alex has really stepped up to the plate, above and beyond the call of friendship. Jim has used up his sick days at work, so I didn't even ask him to take a half day off. I knew what the answer would be. I'm worried about how my kids are going to be taken care of if I'm in too much pain to do it myself. Many of my friends have offered their help. I hope I won't need it, but if I do, I know there are people I can count on and that is very gratifying. I am hoping to not have to rely on my parents for help, because that help comes with a price tag.