Runs for Cookies: Biopsy Outcomes and Plan

Boo! Hahaha, I had enjoyable wanting by means of my CT scan photos and took this screenshot as a result of it seemed fairly creepy (these eyeballs!).

I understand how uncool it was to publish about my biopsy after which take two weeks to share the outcomes! I felt just like the outcomes took ceaselessly. Because the biopsy was on Friday, I hoped the outcomes could be obtainable on Monday; Tuesday on the newest. Normally, labs and checks are uploaded to my chart on-line inside 24 hours or so.

By Wednesday, I nonetheless did not have the outcomes. I known as the ENT doc who’d ordered the biopsy and was instructed that the physician needed to go over them in individual. And that he was going to be out for per week, so the earliest obtainable appointment could be on the twenty second! Listening to that, after all, I ready myself for unhealthy information. 

In the meantime, I had been leaping by means of all of the hoops to get an appointment on the College of Michigan medical heart, which could be very tough to get into; it is an enormous educating hospital. (The girl from scheduling that I spoke with even had my biopsy outcomes however wasn’t allowed to present them to me.) I requested my major care physician to fax my referral and data (I used to be shocked that folks nonetheless fax issues…) and she or he did it immediately. Then I needed to await the scheduler to name me to set the appointment with the ENT (otolaryngology; “ear/nostril/throat”) division. I lastly obtained an appointment for the twenty fourth (yesterday). 

I used to be nonetheless ready on take a look at outcomes, and I simply could not wait anymore. I do not know why I did not ask within the first place, however I contacted my major care doc once more and requested if she had the outcomes and was she in a position to add them. Inside an hour, they have been in my chart. (My physician is the BEST at doing the whole lot rapidly.)

Anyway, the outcome was that my mass is benign! Which is clearly nice information. Nonetheless, nonetheless, this mass is inflicting me plenty of discomfort–especially after the biopsy. The biopsy made my signs a lot worse and I have been tremendous irritable. I continually really feel like my shirt is choking me, however after I attain to tug the collar from my neck, it is not there–it’s simply this mass that’s inflicting the strangling feeling.

The CT that was taken within the emergency room the day of my biopsy confirmed that the mass had elevated by a few centimeter (it was about 5.5 and now it is about 6.5 cm–that’s *very* massive). Since I had the appointment at U of M, I had entry to their affected person portal. My CT scan was in there, and I used to be completely fascinated wanting by means of the pictures. It is like watching a video touring by means of your physique, taking a look at one airplane at a time, and there are photos from a number of directions–traveling from the entrance of my face to the again of my head, and from either side touring by means of to the opposite aspect, and even beginning at my lungs, transferring as much as the highest of my head. You possibly can see the whole lot in 3D.)

Based mostly on the physician’s notes and the pictures, it confirmed that my trachea and esophagus have been being pushed to the aspect as a result of mass urgent towards them–this is why I’ve issue swallowing and what’s inflicting the strangling feeling. It is pushing my carotid artery towards my again. It is even touching my backbone, and goes down previous my clavicle (collar bone). Needles to say, it’s totally large. I knew it could want to return out, however I hoped that I may save my proper thyroid in an effort to *attempt to* keep away from needing hormone alternative treatment for the remainder of my life.

*I should want it, it can depend upon my thyroid operate after surgical procedure*

Right here is a picture that exhibits from the entrance to the back–the crimson line is my airway, which ought to be straight up and down. And the blue circles the mass itself.

My appointment at U of M yesterday didn’t begin out effectively. I do know most individuals will assume that is shallow, however I’ve written earlier than about how I’m having such a tough time with exhibiting indicators of growing older. It’s possible you’ll bear in mind when, in 2018(?), Jerry and I went to the lab for him to have his blood drawn and I used to be with him. I sat down within the ready room and he went as much as the counter to test in. The girl there noticed his license/birthdate and exclaimed how younger he seemed and stated these phrases which nonetheless hang-out me: “I assumed that was your mom with you!”

Up till that second, I by no means considered myself as wanting outdated. However that triggered one thing inside me that made me discover the whole lot about myself that’s exhibiting indicators of growing older. Do I actually seem like I might be 60-ish+ years outdated?! Even when Jerry seemed MUCH younger–let’s say 30 (he is 44)–that would imply I would must look roughly 50 (right this moment I turned 43). I began to really feel extraordinarily self-conscious of my age at that time, regardless that I by no means cared in any respect earlier than. Is not it silly how one single remark from somebody has the facility to do this? Most individuals would most likely snicker about it, however it had the other impact on me.

Anyway, again to my appointment yesterday. The medical assistant introduced us again to weigh me and get my blood stress. He requested me, “Is that this your son with you?”

My face obtained actually sizzling and my ears instantly began ringing. I used to be so flustered I could not even reply him, and Jerry, figuring out I used to be crushed, helped alleviate the awkwardness I felt by making a joke in regards to the fountain of youth or one thing. The medical assistant requested for my birthday and after I instructed him, he stated, “Glad early birthday!”. I stated, in what I hoped got here off as nonchalant, “Thanks, however I am all of a sudden feeling very outdated”. I type of needed to trace to him that as a substitute of asking if it was my son, simply ask who’s with me right this moment or one thing like that. 

I assumed he would apologize, however he did not catch on. I can bear in mind being (comparatively) younger and by no means understanding why age was such a sensitive topic for ladies. Once I labored at Curves in my 20’s, many of the girls have been within the 40 to 60-ish age vary and regularly talked about aging–I simply did not get it. I by no means thought I might care about growing older! And I truthfully would not thoughts it, if I assumed I seemed my age–43–but 60+?! That is laborious to swallow. (Fairly actually proper now, haha). When it was only one one who talked about it, it might be written off as a one-off unintentionally impolite remark; however when two folks say it, effectively… 

Okay, sufficient of that. I used to be pleasantly shocked on the minimal wait time, which was superior. The ENT physician was extremely really useful by my cousin, who’s a nurse practitioner there, and she or he was the whole lot I hoped. She was extraordinarily pleasant and affected person, taking the time to reply my questions and clarify the whole lot rather well. An anesthesiology med scholar was along with her and he was simply as nice.

They needed to scope my throat, which wasn’t enjoyable (on the earlier ENT doc’s workplace, they did it as effectively). They put a protracted, skinny, versatile tube with a digital camera on one finish, by means of my nostril and down my throat to take a look at my vocal cords. It actually seems like a COVID take a look at, solely like pushing the swab throughout to stab your mind. Then it felt like I had a tablet caught in my throat. However my vocal cords aren’t broken; the change in my voice is probably going as a result of my trachea (airway) is being pushed apart by the mass on my thyroid. (My voice has gotten type of raspy and it is a pressure to speak.)

They agreed that the mass ought to come out, and the physician defined the surgical procedure to me. It is beneath basic anesthesia, which is extra difficult than the IV sedation I had just lately for my tooth extraction, however I have been beneath 3 times before–for my two jaw restore surgical procedures and for my pores and skin elimination surgery–so I am not too apprehensive about it. The scariest half is that they’re going to be working in a really vital space of my body–around my airway, my esophagus, my carotid arteries, jugular veins, and vocal cords–and there are dangers with that. However the ENT physician is the one who shall be performing the surgical procedure and I really feel very assured in her.

Once I was tremendous nervous in regards to the basic anesthesia earlier than getting my jaw restore, my surgeon (who was an ENT doc) instructed me this: Should you’re apprehensive about your airway throughout surgical procedure, the most effective crew you’ll be able to have with you is an ENT crew. In order that’s comforting! Haha.

The surgical procedure sounds very straight-forward and I will be allowed to go away the identical day (she stated three hours or so). For per week post-op, I have to relaxation, not carry something over 10 kilos, eat tender meals for a few days, and that is about it. There’s plenty of follow-up lab work to see if my thyroid hormones tank. They’re utterly regular proper now, so I hope my proper thyroid will just do fantastic when the left is gone. The ENT doc stated that it occurs in about half of sufferers with this process.

Now, I simply have to attend for a name from the scheduler to get a date for surgical procedure. The physician stated that since it is not most cancers, I haven’t got to do it proper away–just at any time when it is handy for me–but I’ll take the primary obtainable date. My signs are driving me loopy, particularly since my biopsy.

Haha! Talking of, after my biopsy I used to be instructed that I “might need a small bruise that ought to go away by itself in a few days”. It’s now 15 days later, and that is what it appears to be like like:

Apart from the bruise, although, the lump could be very noticeable in my neck. It wasn’t like this earlier than the biopsy. This mass grew SO rapidly. I observed someday within the summer–I feel August–that my neck seemed a bit greater in entrance. I forgot about it after I obtained COVID, after which the headache that lasted two months, and the method that led to my tooth extraction.

It was nonetheless barely noticeable in December, however now there is no such thing as a means you’ll be able to miss it. I am apprehensive it will proceed to develop at this price. I am thrilled that it is not most cancers, regardless that I knew I would be having surgical procedure both means, however it’s so uncomfortable–I am unable to await it to be gone!