I am a very private person. I normally don't comfortably share personal information with anyone.
Not my friends.
Not even my family.
Certainly not my hundreds of dear blog readers, many of whom I have never even met.
But when I recently found myself facing some medical issues I felt the need to share and ask for your prayers.
You see, along with being private I'm also a big chicken when it comes to doctors. I don't go (I know, don't start on me) and will put off a visit at all cost. (I blame this behavior on my dear mother who taught me to have a positive attitude and avoid doctors whenever possible - God rest her soul).
So, I ignored my symptoms that came and went until they came more than they went.
My first stop to finding out what was causing me to pee blood (sorry - you were warned) was to a urologist. I felt like a man in a gynecologist's waiting room since I was the only female patient in a waiting room full of older gentlemen. Kind'a funny really. Dr W. gave me "the lecture" about pap smears and regular check ups and ordered a CT scan.
He told me I was atypical.
(Bill could have told me that for free).
Dr W invited me back on Friday so he could take a little peek up my urethra. Now I really felt like I was in a gynecologist's office - kind of.
I got to watch the whole procedure on his monitor and listen as he narrated our little journey up my urethra and through my bladder. "Urethra looks good, bladder walls are clean and pink"...then there on the screen was the culprit. A coral like growth attached to the wall of my bladder. It looked very much like the coral that grows on our Ventura dock, but this coral was growing in my bladder. I have bladder cancer!
Now, before you get all freaked out on me you need to know that 85% of these cancers are curable with a pretty simple outpatient surgery. No chemo, no catheter (thankyouverymuch) and no real down time.
So, next Friday I'll have the first real surgery of my long life, kick back and enjoy a quiet weekend and then get back to my normal, wonderful life.
I feel very good about the outcome of this new journey. My CT scan looked good and I'm feeling great. I have a peace that comes from knowing that I have lots of people who love me and are praying for me. I am in good hands.
You've joined me on trips to Switzerland and France, Kansas City and Las Vegas. Are you up for a little trip to the O.R.?
