We met the surgeon this morning. I really liked her. I liked her demeanor, I liked how she spoke to me. She was professional... yet, friendly. Is it wrong that I liked her enough that I saw her as the kind of person I'd love to sit and hang out with sometime, just because she was fun to talk to and I thought she'd have some fascinating stories to tell?
I really think she's going to do a great job. I feel like she knows what she's doing and I left her office feeling quite confident about what our treatment plan.
She wants me to get an additional neck ultrasound... a more comprehensive one that maps my lymph nodes and studies them, specifically. Depending on the tissue seen in the scan, then I may have to have an additional biopsy of the lymph nodes. *Sigh* Not excited about that, but am glad that she wants to dig deeper before cutting me open, blindly. She said that depending on the findings of the ultrasound and possible biopsy, it could change the nature of the surgery. She didn't go into too much detail about how it would change, but indicated that it would change her approach.
Good News/Bad News: She complimented me by saying I didn't have any wrinkles... so it would be hard to hide the scar. Um... thank you?
I asked her how soon we could schedule the surgery. She said that realistically, her schedule wouldn't allow for it for at least 3 weeks, which was fine because she needed me to get the ultrasound/possible biopsy, the results from the biopsy, get a pre-op physical within 2 weeks of the operation, an EKG within a month, and then some special blood work that takes at least a week to get back, that I need to do about 2-3 weeks out. Well, 3 weeks from now, that puts me too close to driving across country.
SO, my next question was... "what's the latest you would be comfortable with putting this off?" Her answer was interesting to me and answered a question that I have had since the beginning of all of this. She said, "August. But this thing has been growing inside of you for like 10 years... it isn't going to make much of a difference if you do it now or in a few months." 10 years... I was wondering what a good guess was for how long it was in there and that was actually one of my guesses. 10 years was my guess for my biggest one, 7 years for my smallest one. It was sort of nice to hear an expert tell me that my guess (based on my Medical Degree from Google) was correct.
So, based on her response and the need to make the arrangements for all of the other lab work and physicals, etc. I decided not to do the surgery in July between travel trips (I will do all of the doctor appts. then, instead). My surgery is scheduled for August 1. Right after we get back from the lake. The reasons this is the best time:
* That gives my husband 3 weeks to work before he takes a day or 2 off for my surgery, this will be better than him taking it off back to back after having just taken 2.5 weeks off. That would be really bad for him.
* This gives me time to do my pre-op lab work beforehand and not trying to do that while I'm packing, don't have babysitters (they will all be gone the week before we leave), or while we are gone.
* I won't be trying to adjust to medication while traveling, at all. This really scared me, so it is a huge relief to not have to worry about it.
* I will have my follow up appointment with her and the endocrinologist 2 weeks after and I won't be traveling then.
It's less than 2 months away and I am nervous. 2 months might seem like an eternity to someone else, but for me, it feels like I am now in some kind count down to an execution day. I am getting closer to some kind of journey into the unknown and it is pretty scary. I am letting them cut a piece out of my body that is responsible for my appetite control, metabolism, energy level, body temperature, and a bunch of other things. On top of 100% possibility of losing my ability to regulate those things on my own, the risks of the surgery include damage to the nerves that power my vocal cords or the parathyroid glands (which are the size of a grain of rice and their blood supply is the size of strand of hair - so could be easy to damage)... that means I could end up with permanent loss of my voice or the inability to regulate calcium in my body... you know, calcium that builds your entire body's framework... yah, that. My husband is hoping that he never has to hear me talk ever again. I think I saw him slip the doctor some money to damage the vocal cords... Just kidding. :)
So, to sum up: Nervous about my surgery, but glad to finally have it scheduled. Happy that it can wait until a more convenient time but that we don't have to push it back too far. Grateful that I have the surgeon I have.
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