The Scary "C" Word

Probably the scariest word for anyone to hear from a doctor, "the results of your biopsy shows that you have cancer."  Those were the words I received from my gynecologist a few weeks ago.  I have had no symptoms other than pain the lower abdomen.  Because I have had diverticulitis in the past, I assumed that was the problem.  I went to the doctor in July and again in August and was prescribed antibiotics.  Neither time did the antibiotics work so I made an appointment with a GI doctor who ordered a CT scan.  The CT scan showed some abnormalities in the bladder and the endometrial lining of the uterus.  He advised me to see a gynecologist and urologist.   

I made an appointment with my primary care doctor and took the CT scan into her.  She said she wanted me to get an MRI.  The results of the MRI indicated that a gynecologist was the best to see.  Since I am an "old lady" and my former gynecologist retired about the time I did, I do everything through my primary care doctor.

I had made an appointment with a gynecologist after some research about different ones, but like anything else, it takes time.  I happened to be talking to a friend who told me about her doctor and how one of my former Gilbert El parents worked for the practice.  

I texted the parent as she is a friend and she called me back in about an hour.  This was on Weds, Oct. 6.  She told me she went into work at  7 in the morning and would call me.  Around 7:30 she called and asked if I could be there at 9:00.  Of course I could!

This doctor (and my friend) was amazing.  We talked for a bit and she told me that she had one of my signs in her yard when I ran for the Governing Board in 2016.  She did a biopsy and called me the following Monday with the dreaded "C" word diagnosis.  She told me that she wanted me to see a certain doctor who is an oncologist/gynecologist.  She said she would go to him and have her mother and/or daughter go to him.

I called immediately and got in on Tuesday, October 19.  From everything I have heard, I am pretty fortunate to have these appointments happen so quickly.  

The sad part is that I had to go by myself to this appointment because of COVID and the lack of respect by so many people.  I asked our cousin, Maura, if she would be willing to be on the phone as she is a nurse.   She was and I will be forever grateful to her.

I love Dr. Bhoola.  His office is actually within walking distance of our house.  He is kind and thorough. He said the first thing he wanted to do was a complete hysterectomy and he scheduled it for the following Monday, Oct. 25, at Banner Desert.  Dave and I spent the next few days running back and forth to the hospital, etc. to get x-rays, bloodwork, insurance approval, etc. for the surgery on Monday.  I must say that everyone we dealt with was kind and compassionate.  In this day and with all that the medical profession has dealt with during this pandemic, that meant a lot.

Throughout this entire ordeal, I cannot say enough about the support I have had from Dave.  He has been my rock and has put up with my range of emotions with grace.  I am sure there were a few times he probably wanted to tell me a few choice words (that he never uses), but he didn't.  I love this man and although I certainly didn't want to have this journey, I am so thankful that he is here with me. 

Monday morning we had to be at the hospital for the surgery.  It was scheduled to be a DaVinci Robotic but depending on what they found, it could be an incision.  Fortunately, when I woke up, I only had four small incisions and no female organs left.  I felt good because the pain that I had been dealing with the few months before had been very difficult.   One funny thing that happened when I was being taken into the operating room--somehow the conversation came up about having a drink.  I told the nurses I don't drink tequila but there is a song called Tequila Sheila.  Hence their name for me during this time was "No Tequila Sheila!"  It was a lighter moment and I appreciated their humor.

I decided to come home even though I could have spent the night.  I wanted to be out of the hospital in my own bed.  I can honestly say that I had no pain, just soreness.  

Now was the worst part, in my opinion, and that was the waiting on the results as to whether or not the cancer had spread, etc.

That is another post in itself and I am going to save it for tomorrow.   I hope that being able to write about this will help me in this journey and one day I will be able to look back and read about it.  

Endometrial cancer's color is peach.  This print is the closest I could get to it.  One thing I did do was get my nails and toes done in peach.  I guess I am getting a bit superstitious in my old age.

TO BE CONTINUED........  I think that is going to be my new positive motto for everything---TO BE CONTINUED as that is how I am looking at all of this.