It all started about three and a half years ago. We were living in Mesa at the time and I began noticing a certain area of my stomach that didn't feel right. At first, I tried to ignore it. Sometimes, when I felt it with my hand, it scared me, especially the numbing sensation that occurred every time it was touched. It was a large mass, as hard as a rock, that eventually began to protrude out making it look like I was pregnant. Being that I had an extensive medical background (thank you WebMD) I decided to play doctor and diagnose myself with a gluten intolerance. My findings were confirmed when the mass didn't seem to bother me as much after cutting out wheat, at least that's what I told myself. I felt better having found an answer that seemed to pacify the worrier in me and continued on with my life, being quite pleased with my bad-doctor-self.
Fast forward about six months. We were now living in Utah. After settling into our house and finally getting back into a routine I started noticing lumps where there shouldn't be lumps. Again, I began to worry. I made an appointment to see a (REAL) doctor. She did an exam and informed me that the lumps I felt weren't anything to be worried about. Phewww, crisis averted. I was relieved and very grateful.
As she continued the exam she got very quiet. I had briefly mentioned my "gluten intolerance" issue and how my stomach felt very hard in that one place. Upon further inspection she commented, "Wow, I don't like the feel of that". Oh. Crap. She ended the exam and told me I needed to get an ultrasound done on my uterus, and that it had nothing to do with what I was or wasn't eating. An ultrasound on my uterus AND you mean to tell me I gave up gluten for no reason? Double crap. I started kicking my doctor self.
I made the appointment and went in for my ultrasound. The lovely tech, who was performing said ultrasound, was very animated in her discoveries. Halfway through, she started giving commentary about how this was the largest tumor she'd ever seen. Every measurement she took she declared things like "Wow, I've never seen one this big" or, "You're going to have to have surgery". I walked out of the ultrasound bawling my eyes out. Crap. I have a HUGE tumor and I am going to need surgery. Damn you WebMD, you failed me......you failed me big time.
My doctor finally got back to me after what seemed like forever. She confirmed that it was in fact, a tumor, and that there were two options. I could either leave it alone and wait and see what happens with it in three months (which looking back, now seems like the better option) OR I could see about having surgery to remove it and have it biopsied.
Fast forward a couple months, and two more opinions. I decided to have surgery to take the beast out. It was a pretty major procedure. They cut me hip to hip, much like a C-section. Except with a C-section the stomach tissue and skin has had time to stretch and grow making it much thinner and easier to cut through, sew up, and heal. Mine was just all unstretched stomach and skin fat. I stayed in the hospital for three days to recover, and boy did I milk it. My little sister (the bodyguard/nurse) came and stayed with me attending to my every need.
Upon arriving home, I had strict instructions to not go up and down stairs. Crap. Bedroom and bathroom are upstairs, kitchen and food are downstairs. And not to lift anything over 10 pounds for six weeks. The doctor informed me that the tumor weighed one and a half pounds. For even more dramatic effect she told me it was the size of a four month old fetus. (Oh, did I mention that I looked like I was four months pregnant?) It was not cancerous, thank the heavens above, but she did say it was hairy. Um.....gross.
About a month into my recovery it happened.....the "incident" that caused the unrelenting pain that I have been feeling now for two years. It happened when I bent down to pick up an empty laundry basket and felt the slightest twinge in my back. CRAP. CRAP. CRAP. I was on the floor unable to move. CRAP.
That was the day my back went "OUT".......and to this day, my back has not found it's way back IN.
To be continued....
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