WHAT THE....OVARY!?!

So here we are!

I am four weeks out from having my Papillary Thyroid Cancer surgery.  I am so glad to have kissed "THE PAST" goodbye.  Peace OUT.  

There's always a rainbow after a storm...

So let's get to the latest scuffle my body has chosen to have with itself.

I've had a whispering pain in my lower right side for several months.  I kept chalking it up to my probably pulling a muscle in yoga or something and blew it off.  

I had to take time off from my sweet yoga due to my surgery.

Hhhhhhmmmm.  The whispering pain did NOT go away.  After my thyroid surgery, it became a daily nagging thing.  If I were to rate the pain from 1-10, it'd be a .5.  Seriously not a crisis.

I decided to go to my gyno just to make sure it was a giant nothing.

After the exam, she said everything felt fine and normal--then she asked if I wanted an ultrasound just to be sure.  My answer was YES.

If my pesky thyroid taught me anything, it's to get to the bottom of anything health related so it doesn't become a major fiasco over time.

Flowers will always bloom amongst
wreckage...

Bulletpoints of my journey and results:

*Ultrasound:  Probable endometreosis on my right ovary, fibroids in my uterus and a 6cm mass in my LEFT ovary.  Crazy, my left side wasn't even hurting.

*CA-125 Test.  This is the blood test to see if you could even possibly have ovarian cancer.

*CA-125:  Normal numbers are 0-34.  Mine is 120.  Oh crap.  Discovered DANGEROUS numbers are 500-1000.  Ok.  Not as big of an oh crap.

*Got an MRI.  The CA-125 tests works best in conjunction with an MRI.  FYI, if you've never had an MRI, the word "contrast" can come up.  If you are getting an MRI with "contrast", that means they inject you with some chemical that makes you kinda 3D.  That's info I wish I had prior to going, I about had a heart attack when the guy wanted to stick me in the arm.

MRI Results:

It's HIGHLY unlikely I have ovarian cancer.  The 6cm mass hasn't changed at all.  Gyno is thinking the mass came from the endometreosis and is a fluid filled little monster.  She is suggesting I get a "minimally invasive surgery for a complex ovarian cyst."  That means my next surgeon is gonna go through my belly and poke holes in my cyst and drain it.  If at that moment the surgeon discovers it's actually a  tumor rather than a fluidy cyst, this person will then yank that sucker out and fling it to pathology.  

Since none of my lymph nodes in my lady regions are at all affected, that makes it even less likely I have ovarian cancer.

And I have to keep a close eye on the fibroids.  They usually occur in girls who haven't had kids yet.

To bring this whole thing crazily full circle, I have kept in touch with my thyroid surgeon (awesome guy) and have become friends with my O.R. nurse (awesome girl) from my thyroid surgery.  When I told them about the ovary hoo hah, they referred me to a gynecological oncologist who is apparently AWESOME to get everything checked out further, see if I for sure need surgery and I believe the fella is also an actual surgeon.  

I am in the midst of finding out whether or not my Insurance will carry this gynecological oncologist and if so, gettin' it going on with him and getting it all done and taken care of.

I have never been more grateful for endometreosis.  I can't spell it, but I love it because it doesn't start with a C.

Ladies, DO NOT BE SHY WITH ANY POSSIBLE PROBLEMS INVOLVING YOUR LADY PARTS!!!  TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES!!!

This has been an insane journey to go through so close to having had my thyroid surgery--I'm still not done with THAT journey until I have my Radioactive Iodine in a few weeks.

It took me about two days to wrap my head around the panic about possibly having a brand new cancer in my body.  It's been a challenge to say:  I GOT THIS.

Prior to getting the MRI results, I had been back to yoga, I had spoken to other health professionals whom I trust and listened to my own instinct in general---it's all pointing to the likelihood I do NOT have ovarian cancer.  

...And a Phoenix will always rise from
ashes.

So.  That is my decision now.  I am choosing to absolutely BELIEVE that this is just a cyst that can be drained and it's ALL GOOD.  For me to believe anything else without hard core facts and proof is completely lame and it'd be me allowing my emotions to run amuck instead of having my intellect guiding me.  Go, intellect, go!

Regardless of anything, I GOT THIS.

I am continuing to Act and Coach Actors through all of this journey because panic does not lead my daily life.  Panic and fear are not a part of my regimen.  Faith is.  I GOT THIS.

Peace

Michelle Tomlinson

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