Saturday, April 7, 2018

Medical stuff

      I have high blood pressure. In 200?, when cardiologist had an ultrasound of my kidneys done, he found I had an adrenal adenoma on my right kidney. It was small and doctors decided to just watch it.   In 2010 it had grown and it was decided to remove the adrenal gland and biopsy it in a laparoscopic, robotic surgery. It was supposed to be outpatient and take about an hour and a half and I might needd to stay overnight. I was in surgery for 5 hours and required 4 units of blood and stayed 9 days in the hospital. 5 small incisions plus a 6" incision.  Biopsy was inconclusive , so I followed up with an oncologist and regular Ct scans. In 2014 the adenoma was growing again, and I found a different urologist. He said Ct scan showed adrenal with adenoma and a shriveled up kidney. Apparently the first doctor nicked the artery leading to the kidney and that is what he meant when he said things just fell apart when he got in there...anyway I had another surgery. New doctor said things were kind of mixed up inside me...intestine wrapped around kidney. Since kidney was not functioning and might later cause problems it was decided to remove it and we'll as the adrenal adenoma. Due to the mixed up insides a second surgeon was in the surgery in case a bowel resection was needed. Surgery went well, only 2 hours, not the predicted 3, (no bowel resection) and only a 2 day hospital stay despite a 9" incision. Again, inconclusive biopsy, and yearly follow-up Ct scans, the last of which was in June and was fine.
      I had a routine echocardiogram March 13 in anticipation of my March 27 cardiologist visit. Cardiologist said heart looks fine, but ultrasound picked up an enlargement of my liver and I needed to follow-up with my primary care physician. I called PCP and a liver scan was scheduled for March 30, Good Friday. On Easter Monday, April 2, I called doctor and he said the scan showed solid masses in right kidney area and liver. A Ct scan was ordered for the next day. On wWednesday, April 4, PCP called with results: not cysts, solid mass 2 x 3 x 5cm either arising from liver or between liver and pancreas. Time to see an oncologist to see what to do next. As I do not want to go back to the hospital where I had the first surgery (bad experience!) I asked PCP to refer me elsewhere. On Friday morning, the nurse told me I should be getting a call that afternoon from Stephenson Cancer Center at OU Medical. Call never came and so I and still anxiously awaiting hearing from them. I will be on the phone again first thing Monday morning! Meanwhile I am trying not to be too anxious.

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