The Plan

The sky is deep blue against the white snow caps, peaking through the palm trees. It is the most beautiful time of year in Redlands. I love the view out our front window and could gaze at it all day. 

Gene and I went to meet the Gyn Oncology surgeon today. The "menu" of options is pretty much unchanged. If you go back to "Confusing disease", the 4 options that I outlined there, are still the 4 options that are available.  She went through my "insides" using the CT scan images to discuss each of the masses that I am dealing with. 

Mass 1- liver. It is about the size of a pear. Big and visible without any effort. The edges look clear, masses like this are common, though typically not so big, she is not going to touch it. I think it is time to moderate my wine drinking. 

Mass 2- Lung- Small, not concerning. We couldn't see it on the scan. She will take a look, but most likely leave it alone.

Mass 3- Spine- It is very low on the tail bone area and could be an old skiing injury. She is leaving it alone.

Mass 3- Mesenteric mass, seems to be about the size of a cocktail wiener. She will remove it, hope it isn't embedded in the vessels feeding my gut, and she hopes removing it won't disturb my circulation to my intestine. Best case, it comes away easily. Worst case she has to resect my bowel to get it out, requiring a temporary ostomy. This decision will be made while I am asleep.

Mass 4- Uterine/ovarian cyst. About the size of a hot dog bun. (notice I am using hot dogs and buns as my sizing examples. Two foods I never eat) This mass drapes across the top of my uterus, spanning from one side to the other. Hard to determine where it starts, what is involved, or if it is ovarian in origin or uterine in origin. She will remove all of it, send it to lab and, while I am under, they will do "frozen sections" to determine if it is cancer.  If it is positive for cancer, she will remove any lymph nodes that appear to be enlarged or affected. The "frozen sections" cannot determine type or stage of the cancer cells.  

General impression: She sees me as a healthy, robust person without co-morbidities, which is positive for my ability to recover well, tolerate chemo, if I need to, and survive if it is survivable.  It is impossible for her to predict which way this will go since the CT and ultrasound are great tools, but not as good as surgery.

I am scheduled for surgery on February 9, I should be home by the 10th. I will have my COVID pre-op tested on the 6th and will limit my visitors once I am tested. 

I feel grateful for my wonderful and skilled family, who will help me every step of the way. Shout out to Craig who gave me the  ACOG Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Pathways, my doctor has participated in trails and published using this pathway!  Whoopee! She is a huge fan.

I am grateful to have a warm and wonderful home that has a walk-in shower and big windows to let the outside in. 

I am grateful for my friends who continue to send me loving messages and calls. 

I am grateful to be able to stroll home from my hair cut appointment today, in the warm sun, without any assistance.

And I am grateful to hear the voices of children on the phone, across the street in the school yard and in my living room. There is no music as sweet as the voices of children. 

I feel confident that I am in the right place, at the right time to get through whatever greets me.