Mom's a Fruit

The title of my entry popped out during my conversation with Coco this afternoon when I desperately needed a laugh.

Mom went in for her 6 month post chemo CAT scan this morning, with an inkling that something might by array. Less than a week ago she paid a visit to her GYN because of some unusual post-menopausal symptoms (but I swear, she's only 47). She experienced excruciating pain and undesirable bleeding during her exam, and an ultrasound showed one ovary was double the size it should be (healthy ovaries are the size of a walnut). The day after her appointment, while I was on the phone with her, Susan Eastman showed up at her door, coffee in hand, and said, "What do we need to do!" Angel! They called St. Frannie's cancer center and made sure that they could see a gyneoncologist after seeing her kidney oncologist today.

Her oncologist who treated her after the ureter cancer, Dr. Donadio, is out on maternity leave, so she was met by a nurse practitioner and another oncologist in the practice. Turns out that the cyst is the size of a GRAPEFRUIT!

The next appointment was with Dr. Beth Nelson (who she loved immediately). She specializes in gynecological cancer, and she also reviewed the CAT scan. The ovary is enormous, there's no denying that, but she seemed positive about several things: it's very smooth and normal in shape, and it's easy to move and manipulate. The shape indicates that it could be just a fluid-filled benign cyst, and the mobility means it hasn't latched itself to anything. Additionally, the rate at which it's growing does not indicate cancer activity, more cyst-like behaviors. The CAT scan also indicated Mom has a tiny polyp on the wall of her uterus, so that was biopsied today, but cyst was left alone. Don't want to burst that bubble!

On to the plan: Dr. Nelson is going to communicate with Dr. Kennedy (Mom's tried and true kidney specialist) to coordinate a day where they can tag-team mom's belly! Because of the vast amount of scar tissue, Mom's history, and the fragile nature with which they'll have to remove the cyst, she wants to perform the surgery using da Vinci- a robot. She'd like Dr. Kennedy to place a stent in Lil' Lefty's ureter just to make sure that kidney has zero complications during surgery. Then, she'll try to remove the cyst via laprascope (less invasive) and biopsy it on the spot. Her next step will be directly based on what those instantaneous biopsy results read. Cancer? Well, the whole kit-and-caboodle might have to come out. Not cancer? She might be more conservative.

Nothing will be happening for about two weeks, given this cyst doesn't decide to burst itself. Mom needs to be off her medications and supplements for a minimum of 10 days, and then there's a matter of coordinating Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Nelson's schedule with Dr. da Vinci. They felt strongly that waiting a few weeks in order to use the very popular (very hard to book) robot would be the safest and most thorough option.

Mom's understandably overwhelmed right now, but is thankful to have some time to tie up loose ends before surgery. She and Coco are decompressing over a pot of tea right now in West Hartford.

I'll post when we have the date! In the meantime, send your good vibes and prayers Mom's way.

And if you haven't already today- VOTE!