Good morning everyone! First, I just wanted to take a second to say thank you to everyone who actually took the time to read my blog(about a thousand views) which was amazing to me. I got so much positive feed back and overwhelming love and support! It feels so great to have so many wonderful people care about me even when everyone has their own life going on. Pictured below is a diagram of what a "normal" kidney vs my disease looks like since I've been getting a lot of questions. And I only have ONE (most of you have two, unless you're like me) mine is termed a "horse shoe kidney" but not all of them look like actual horse shoes for clarification.
So as I said before I had Ultrasounds done yesterday, Sunday Sept. 29th, but I will not know the results of those for about 3 business days. I did take my mom with me to the appointment because my family has decided I shouldn’t be going to these appointments alone... I guess it’s “A lot of news to tell a young woman alone”. I was thankful and lucky enough to have my mother come along, so big shout out to Angie, you’re the best. I did find out that instead of having 3 gallstones, I have tons of them now, like my whole gallbladder is filled! The tech thought it was weird that I had so many without any pain(I’ve had gallstones for awhile but if they don’t hurt you they wont remove them, you can live a perfectly healthy life with them in there). Also the tech had a little trouble finding my kidney(that thing hates everyone, which is ridiculous because it's coddled if you ask me) but she did find it and it looks, well, anything but ordinary. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get a picture of it yet, but it looked like a shriveled little sack with a gimpy leg(what would have been my other kidney if it spilt properly in the womb). Not sure if it has always looked like this because I was too young to really care what was going on with me when they did the first one. I do have a disc of it from back in the day that I never looked at, because well, I have a Mac and it only works on PCs so how inconvenient, shout out to Steve Jobs(R.I.P). I will try to show you guys what they found if I am able to pick up those X-rays or get a disk that works on my computer. However, I was able to pick up the film earlier this week of the ultrasound that I had done on the tumor that was in my breast that I told you they had found (pictured below)
It’s the black mass with the measurement going through the middle of it in the top one so you know what you're looking at in both. I joked with my family and said it looks like I’m trying to smuggle a yam in my tata and that I was lucky for not getting stopped by airport security during their X-ray checks when I went on vacation this summer. “Uh excuse me miss, you are going to have to come with us, seems to be some sorta yam shaped contraband in your boob.” I thought to myself geesh I bet the Mexican drug cartel could make a lot of money if they just made yam tumor looking packaging and implanted them in women's boobs(they can pay me in royalties for the idea later). Not that I condone drug use, or drug smuggling into the U.S. or accepting money for the Mexican cartel, I’m just saying if money decides to “appear” in my bank account, I wont be mad at anyone, haha. I guess I just have a weird sense of humor or have seen one to many Drug Inc on NatGeo.
Anyways back to the point, I go to my surgeon on Thursday and will bring the X-ray pictures with me and he will determine if we are going to remove this sucker right away or if they are going to try to wait till my body is more stable for surgery. For everyone wondering if it’s malignant(cancer) they aren’t sure yet! It does share some characteristics of a type of rare cancer but for the most part they said it will probably turn up benign(not cancer). They are however opting for removal instead of needle biopsy because they are unsure and also because of the size. So after removal they will run tests on it and I’ll let you guys know what they find.
I also dropped off my 24hr urinary analysis last week as well. Which basically is just a fancy term for you need to pee in a bucket for 24hrs and make sure to refrigerate it! Gross, like I want my pee next to my food!! Luckily, I have a bar fridge that isn't in use so I kept it there. (Pictured below is me driving my urine 24hr sample back to the lab. Safety first, no one wants pee all over their freaking car when taking a corner too fast)
The next doctors appointment, I'll hopefully get some more answers on how toxic my body is(with taste of a poison paradise, I'm addicted to you, don't you know that you're TOXIC; haha Britney Spears song reference hehe) and that will be on Friday the 4th, with my primary physician. All my tests will be completed by then; Ultrasounds, blood, and urine. So hopefully we can shine a little light on my unanswered questions.
In other news, I also had to stop taking one of my medications because it was causing confusion among other things. I could barely hold conversation and make sentences(confusion was a serious side effect and I was feeling very off). Also I have random bruises appearing daily. I would accredit them to my Anemia but my last lab blood report said my iron wasn’t too bad, so the bruise count is up to 14 I believe. I’m just over here looking like I took a hard tumble, which wouldn't be surprising to anyone who knows me(I’m very clumsy which is strange because my balance is excellent, so I suppose it's more carelessness on my part to not watch where I’m going, sorry world). This is only from part of one leg so you can get an idea, but they are appearing all over me. I notice a new one each morning I wake up and they range in size(they are a lot bigger than they look and they are tender).
I’m trying to think what else....I guess in regards to how I’m currently feeling. In two words; "Absolutely Terrible" but it could be a lot worse. I went to a wedding(my best friends little sister got hitched CONGRATS TORI AND ZACH) and proceeded to dance the night away with what engergy I could muster up. I’m pretty impressed I felt “normal” had to take occasional breaks and drink some water but other than that thought it went fine. When I woke up the next morning, my body disagreed. My joints are achy and killing me, I can barely limp around, I feel trapped in a 90 year old body, with a 20 year old spirit. I slept alllllllllll day yesterday after my ultrasound because I was a straight up gimp zombie at that point. I wouldn’t have done anything differently tho. I think its important to continue doing things I normally would with family and friends so that I don’t lose who I am as a person and let my bad health take over my life. Next time, I just wont pretend that I’m invincible when clearly I am. I was thrilled to be able to share their special day with them the wedding was beautiful.
Just wanted to update you guys again like I promised I would. Sorry I don’t have more answers yet on my progress and whats next. Believe me I’m just as eager and anxious as you, if not more. I will update on Friday and let everyone know how my next appointments went and what the Doctors say. Until then, thanks for reading, caring, and supporting me through this tough time in my life.
Xoxo
Tashara
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