all pink flowers in my garden in september, which is, incidentally, gynecologic cancer awareness month! OK, i'm aware...

discovery -- september 08

how i found out at the very beginning of september, after some spotting during the summer, & a couple of weeks of lower abdominal pain, i went to my doctor, who did a pelvic & quickly ordered an ultrasound & then an MRI -- my first experience with such technological medicine! those results indicated a tumor in the right fallopian tube, & the elevated level of CA-125 in my blood pretty much clinched it. cancer. oh, great. my doctor then referred me to a gynecologist, who agreed with the findings, saying "very unusual, very unusual". wouldn't you know it. but he said he can't do the surgery himself, & there's nobody in the area who can; i'll have to go to san francisco, to the UCSF medical center. everyone i've talked to raves about the place.

so much support i think of myself as a bit of a hermit, spend a lot of time by myself (well, with the dogs!). but this has certainly shown me how many friends i have. i say & hear "i love you" every day. that's good medicine! a local organization, the humboldt community breast health project (it's not just about breasts!) has been amazing & will continue to be a great help.

what's next my "initial consult" with the gynecological oncologist who will be my surgeon is on 22 october. i was at first wondering if i should worry that i have to wait so long, but my counselor at BHP said that's typical, & a few weeks won't make a difference. i always thot once cancer was discovered, they jumped rite on it, but i guess i won't worry if no one else is. & it's nice to have this time to do some gardening & stuff around the house now, since i don't know what kind of shape i'll be in, later in the autumn...

as i understand it, surgery will begin laproscopically, & if the tumor is clean & simple, removing will be minimally invasive. however, if it tests as malignant, if they see any indication of spread, then they'll open me up & start taking more stuff out. whether the surgery will be minimal or more extensive, whether subsequent treatment (radiation? chemo??) will be necessary, what sort of recovery, how much help i'll need... all unknown at this time...

gardening in september has been cutting back, pulling up, digging out. how appropriate.   i'll add more here as i know more, as more happens, as i'm able... still surreal...