Update Update
Jun. 2nd, 2022 04:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lunabee341. The MRI is clear as I expected. Whew!
Getting it was not as smooth sailing as the sequence of three I had last year. I had this one with contrast, and the contrast dye hurt really badly. I'm talking excruciating pain at the injection site that migrated up my bicep. They do a bunch of imaging (like 45 minutes worth), pop you out, inject the dye, and immediately pop you back in for another 10 minutes of imaging to finish the procedure. So I had to be utterly still and keep my eyes closed while my arm was killing me. I was certain I was going to open my eyes and see that it had swollen up like five times regular size, but no. It looked totally normal. I didn't even get an injection bruise. But my arm hurt like a motherfucker all night and still felt weird the next day. I hope to avoid contrast dye in the future.
2. The trigeminal neuralgia pain had gotten really bad since my last neuro visit and then suddenly in the last week dissipated. We've got a plan to treat the pain if it flares again, but right now, I'm just very happy the pain is minimal. I don't want to take the drugs that are typically used to treat it because they make me tired and dopey, so hurray!
3. Emma's lumbar puncture is on Tuesday. *crossing all the fingers for some useful info*
4. Tuesday is also my pre-op appointment at the hospital; they'll run labs (got to make sure I'm not seekritly pregnant ha!) and explain the surgery. Because...
5. I can't have a needle aspirate biopsy. That would be too easy and inexpensive, my friends. LOL I get to have a surgical biopsy where they remove the whole lymph node under general anesthesia! That's happening on Friday (not tomorrow but Friday week). Then it'll take a week to run the pathology, and then I'll have some answers. I like the surgeon, and he agreed with me that I've got risk factors (dad's lymphoma, my autoimmune disorders, some symptoms (but the symptoms also overlap with autoimmune symptoms and aren't necessarily indicative in my case)), and that we need to just pop the sucker out and see what's what.
6. I am anxious. I do not want to have cancer. Which seems to me to be a completely valid and understandable sentiment. But also lymphoma has really good survival rates and treatment options. So I am trying to remain optimistic while also feeling like I need to throw up constantly. Also not super excited about having surgery. I've never had genuine surgery; the closest thing is having tubes in my ears almost 40 years ago when that was considered a real surgery that required an overnight stay in the hospital or like having my wisdom teeth out. Not fun, but not surgery really.
You know what is helping? Y'all. :) I got an amazing box of books fromexecutrix that I have already begun devouring. Be on the lookout for a review post. And I got a card from elfin with amazing stickers: journal jewelry! And I got an amazing package from misbegotten: fountains pens and ink to geek out with!
I have been shit at commenting on everyone's journal and replying to your comments to me, but I'm reading your journals and taking joy in what you're posting and in the lovely things you're all saying to me. Thank you thank you, friendos.
Getting it was not as smooth sailing as the sequence of three I had last year. I had this one with contrast, and the contrast dye hurt really badly. I'm talking excruciating pain at the injection site that migrated up my bicep. They do a bunch of imaging (like 45 minutes worth), pop you out, inject the dye, and immediately pop you back in for another 10 minutes of imaging to finish the procedure. So I had to be utterly still and keep my eyes closed while my arm was killing me. I was certain I was going to open my eyes and see that it had swollen up like five times regular size, but no. It looked totally normal. I didn't even get an injection bruise. But my arm hurt like a motherfucker all night and still felt weird the next day. I hope to avoid contrast dye in the future.
2. The trigeminal neuralgia pain had gotten really bad since my last neuro visit and then suddenly in the last week dissipated. We've got a plan to treat the pain if it flares again, but right now, I'm just very happy the pain is minimal. I don't want to take the drugs that are typically used to treat it because they make me tired and dopey, so hurray!
3. Emma's lumbar puncture is on Tuesday. *crossing all the fingers for some useful info*
4. Tuesday is also my pre-op appointment at the hospital; they'll run labs (got to make sure I'm not seekritly pregnant ha!) and explain the surgery. Because...
5. I can't have a needle aspirate biopsy. That would be too easy and inexpensive, my friends. LOL I get to have a surgical biopsy where they remove the whole lymph node under general anesthesia! That's happening on Friday (not tomorrow but Friday week). Then it'll take a week to run the pathology, and then I'll have some answers. I like the surgeon, and he agreed with me that I've got risk factors (dad's lymphoma, my autoimmune disorders, some symptoms (but the symptoms also overlap with autoimmune symptoms and aren't necessarily indicative in my case)), and that we need to just pop the sucker out and see what's what.
6. I am anxious. I do not want to have cancer. Which seems to me to be a completely valid and understandable sentiment. But also lymphoma has really good survival rates and treatment options. So I am trying to remain optimistic while also feeling like I need to throw up constantly. Also not super excited about having surgery. I've never had genuine surgery; the closest thing is having tubes in my ears almost 40 years ago when that was considered a real surgery that required an overnight stay in the hospital or like having my wisdom teeth out. Not fun, but not surgery really.
You know what is helping? Y'all. :) I got an amazing box of books from
executrix that I have already begun devouring. Be on the lookout for a review post. And I got a card from elfin with amazing stickers: journal jewelry! And I got an amazing package from misbegotten: fountains pens and ink to geek out with!I have been shit at commenting on everyone's journal and replying to your comments to me, but I'm reading your journals and taking joy in what you're posting and in the lovely things you're all saying to me. Thank you thank you, friendos.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-03 02:58 pm (UTC)<3
Josh has informed me that there are better ways to get attention. LOL
no subject
Date: 2022-06-03 03:19 pm (UTC)