My Ovarian Meeting

Hello everyone,

I saw Dr. B today (the Gyno/Onco). She is very nice (and very petite). She first read through my history and then asked me some questions. Then did a pelvic exam (just in case the mass was gone....) No, it was still there. But she did say that it was palpable (movable) and did not seem to be stuck to anything (that is a good sign). Then Chris and I went into her office and we had our "options" discussion....


Okay Here are my notes (well the Dr. notes she wrote for me)

Options.

Conservative Options (this is where they find no cancer in the testing).


These will be attempted as laproscopic.

1. Remove just Left ovary (and mass) and tube. If the frozen sections (of the mass) tested is benign, they stop, close up and I'm done. (outpatient)


2. Remove both ovaries (and mass) and tubes. If the frozen section tested and benign, they stop, close up and I'm done, (outpatient)


3. Remove both ovaries (and mass), tubes, and uterus, if frozen section tests benign and they stop, close up and I'm done. (over night stay)

The recovery for #1 and #2 are about 2-4 weeks, the recovery for #3 is 4 weeks.

If the frozen section comes up malignant or borderline (if it is borderline then there are atypical cells and she will treat it as malignant because of my BC history).All bets are off....

She will have to make a vertical cut into my abdomen (like an emergency C-section) and she will have to remove all the reproductive organs and lympnodes and another organ called an the omentum. It is the fatty tissue that works like an apron on your organs. That is 2-3 nights in the hospital and a 6 week recovery.

Of course if it is cancer, it depends on what kind of cancer, if it is new or secondary on what kind of chemo I will need, no radiation.

She recommends since I am HIGHLY estrogen receptive that I remove both my ovaries at least.

She is hoping that my surgery can happen on March 10, I am waiting on the scheduler now.
This is exactly what I thought it would be. So I had been talking my self into the ovary removal for the past week. She said the hot fashes will be HORRIBLE and she will probably have to put me on something for them (more happy pills).

My meds will change cause I won't need the tamoxifen anymore, I will need the meds for post menopausal women.

Chris and I had pretty much agreed that I had to get both ovaries taken out. It took me a week to come to grips with that decision. Then I was talking on the phone with my mom on the way home one day this week. She said that she doesn't just see why I don't get the uterus taken out as well, and I quote, "Laurie Jo, it is just a bag wafting around in there waiting to get sick. The hard part are your ovaries, since they are coming out, why not the bag..." You got to love the way my mom puts things huh?

So I have been debating getting the uterus taken out...

Pluses...

1. Nothing else to get sick.
2. It is a baby basket for the most part, and with out ovaries there will never be a baby in there anymore.
3. Get it all done at one time and hopefully it will be the last time I'm cut.

Minuses...

1. They are going to have to cut off the cervix and then stitch up the vaginal canal, is it going to be shorter? Will it hurt to have sex?

So far I am leaning towards the uterus too right now, but I got back and forth. I don't have to make a final decision until my pre-op appointment that will be after they schedule the surgery.

So I am going to really push on praying and hoping this thing is normal and not malignant or atypical.