Cancer and Me

    A few months ago I was diagnosed with uterine cancer.
    I got to this diagnosis by way of ultrasound, biopsy and examination. By the time we got to the
biopsy I was sure there would be surgery involved. Why there would be surgery was not my fear. Surgery was my fear.
    I think the reason that the cancer diagnosis wasn't a problem, was because that at every turn I was told that if you had to have cancer, this was the one to have, because the cure was elimination of the container of the cancer: removal of the uterus and accoutrements.
    In other words, surgery. I had had none until now. Still have my tonsils, appendix and had all my children vaginally.
    I was terrified. Would I feel good until the surgery and then rotten after? Yep. That was my interpretation. I was wrong.
    Boy was I wrong. The surgery I had was done by the daVinci method, or robotic. Only three or four incisions and not much pain. Well, i vote for not much pain.
    there was pre-op preparation. Meaning, bowel cleanse. If you have never had this, bless you. In my case it made me sick as in throwing up the last bit of wonderful go lightly. You don't go lightly, by the way. Anyway, I spent that day sitting, well, let us just say, that my bathroom and I got on really good terms.
     I had to be up at 4 am to get showered, dressed and driven to the hospital, a 45 minute drive and be checked in by 5:30. Surgery was at 7:30am.
     My husband and I managed to do this and then we waited while they got everything ready. I was given an iv port, or whatever, so that the iv was just plugged into that and then waited.
     They sent him out and I waited.
     Doctor came in and checked my computer and said hello and left.
     The next visitor was a nurse who attached my iv and pushed my gurney out into the hall and down to surgery. I remember thinking,"How will she get those doors opened and push at the same time? Oh, yeah, the big button.
     The next thing I remember is saying,"My legs feel shaky." and the answer was, "Yes, honey, they had them in stirrups." Which meant the procedure was over. and then they ran me down the hall and into the elevator and up to my room.
     I stayed overnight and went home the next afternoon. I had maybe three pain medications and went home with a prescription for some pain meds, but shredded them after a week.
    I had a pet scan, c/t scan and everything was clean.
    I had three radiation treatments for prevention of return, which can happen, but hopefully won't. They were not hard either.
    I have to tell you that I have felt way better after surgery than before. Especially just before.
   God has been very good to me and I try very hard to be very good to Him. I give praise and credit where credit is due. I know that the surgeon and all those who attended me did the physical work to get me here, but God put me in the right place at the right time and He deserves to be given credit.
    Thank you to everyone who has helped along the way.
    Surgery is not a problem anymore. Just the bowel cleanse. Oh, yes, I had my annual physical after all this, with a new doctor and he was looking at my history and with a wicked grin, said,"Haven't had a colonoscopy, huh?"
     I asked if a c/t, pet scan that showed only some diverticulosis would suffice.
     He was disappointed. I was not.