My mama.

My mom went this past week for an ultrasound of the fibroid that they found this past spring.  When she went, they found that not only is it 3 times the size that it was three months ago, but that they are having issues "finding her ovary." 

Um, it is there-- somewhere.

So, the ultrasound tech seemed to be cool.  Mom was okay. 

Then the doctor called.

He's scheduled mom for an MRI and a full blood work-up this week.  She's scared to death.  You see, my grandmother and my aunt (Mom's sister) were both diagnosed with cancer in their early to mid sixties.  Both died as a result of the cancers that they had. 

My grandmother died of colon cancer.  She had complained to her doctor on numerous occasions, and she put her on anxiety meds.  It was only after it was too late-- an ovary and spots on her liver-- that the colon cancer was diagnosed.  Grandma lived for 2 years.  I will say that she definitely did not have quality of life.

My aunt died of brain cancer.  She was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, walnut-sized when removed, but also her brain was cancered.  She participated in a study and extended her life from 6-15 months tops to 3 years.  She did have quality of life up until about the last 6 weeks.  However, in her case, the cancer caused swelling and her brain stem actually twisted as a result.  My aunt passed away not even two years ago.

Now back in the spring, they did a biopsy of the uterine wall.  Everything was just fine.  If this is an ovarian tumor or a fibroid that has consumed the ovary, the likelihood that it is benign is about 78%.  Most certainly, my mother will need to have her ovary removed.  At this point, she would be happy to go under the knife tomorrow.  She just wants it out.

This is an important lesson to all of us.  My mother has passed menopause.  She still goes for yearly exams and her midwife told her that since she no longer menstruated, it was important to know that no bleeding whatsoever was acceptable.  If she had bleeding AT ALL, there was something wrong and it needed to be investigated immediately. 

Thank God she told my mom that.  Most women would have ignored the extremely scant appearance that she experienced and would have gone on with their day.

My mother is a wreck about the MRI.  I'm cut from the same cloth-- we're both extremely claustrophobic.  Just talking about the MRI puts my mom into a near panic attack.  She asked me how it was and I accidentally freaked her out more.  I told her to ask for drugs.  She said that she won't and she doesn't think that they would give them to her. 

Knowing what I know, if ever I have to go back in, I need drugs.

So if you will, please pray for my mom.  She's a wreck.  I feel God's peace about this, but it still doesn't hurt to put some folks on a direct party line to Him, eh?

Smiles in my weekend:
-  We attended a beautiful wedding.  It was in an church without air and a picnic reception in an old barn in the 93+ degree heat.  Other than that, it was lovely.
-  It rained this evening for the first time in, well, a long time.  The grass is a lovely shade of brown and is crunchy to the toes. 
-  The kitchen ceiling got painted today.  It was no small feat, but I got it done.  Tune in tomorrow when I vent just a little.
-  Laundry washed dried and ALL! put away.  Ooo!  It was so blasted hot that I ran my tennis shoes through the wash and they dried lickety split outside. 
-  K- has science camp all week at her school, so that means that we'll get our walking feet back on!  Oh, I can definitely tell that I haven't been walking like we were. 
-  Being able to take advantage of some lovely sales and coupons this week.  Hubs took K- out while I was painting.  He called to see if I wanted anything and I asked him to stop by our little home owned grocery chain to pick up some sale items.  He was able to get a dozen of corn for $2.00 and a case of Star Kist tuna for 50 cents a can.  We got other good stuff, too.  :)

Have a great day!