A (unbelievably) speedy trip

First of all I need to say that if you are stressed out and buy a big bag of gum drops to relieve stress and then get a stomach ache because you ate too many, it is your spouse's responsibility to have sympathy for the stomach ache.

I went to Lahey yesterday and got there in plenty of time for my dr's appointment so I decided to get my blood tests done before it. I needed blood work done before today's excavation. I zipped into the blood lab and then went and met with the doctor. I was back downstairs in 59 minutes! How's that for a speedy trip? I think it set a record that I got through both places that quickly! (Maybe because I didn't wait for the elevator and walked down stairs?) The real incentive to zip through is money - the parking garage is $2 for the first hour and then goes up to $5. I did not have to pay for parking at crispings or chemo but now I do.

Anyhow, so the doctor said. You have a sliding hiatal hernia. Nothing can be done to treat it unless you get heart burn issues so we'll continue to follow it. You have minor hemorrhoids. Try home treatment and see what happens (Hemorrhoid factoid (I really wanted to use that term) 50% of American adults over 50 (which I am not yet but close enough) have hemorrhoids so I am not alone.) You have Irritable Bowel Syndrome which is a fancy term for weird problems with your digestive system that we can't really define so we'll call it IBS. We won't treat it for now because you have enough drugs and tests but we will watch it.

The CT scan shows what is suspected to be a hemangioma on your liver and recommends an MRI to confirm. What is a hemangioma? (First of all you have to learn to spell it to be diagnosed with it. If you just Google hemangioma you find out it is a type of birthmark but if you Google hepatic hemangioma you will find out about this kind.) It is a type of vascular abnormality or benign tumor that about 7% of adults have. They are not an issue unless they cause pain in which case they go in and take out part of your liver. (We aren't there yet. No more surgery scheduled for me.) Mine is 1.4 cm. Most are about 1/4" but can be up to 20 cm (which would be huge!!! if you think about it). Anyhow, mine is unconfirmed at this point. It is also described as a hypodense lesion. There's another fancy word for 'soft and squishy'. I specifically asked if is it a solid (which would be very bad) and was told no it wasn't - hence the 'soft and squishy' term. Previously I had a vascular abnormality to go with my latest fibroadenoma which was the same kind of thing - squishes right down when they try to feel it but visible in an MRI. Maybe I am just vascularly abnormal? (I do know my spelling skills are improving with continual medical diagnoses.)

I got one of those doctor speak statements 'we really don't think its anything, blah, blah, blah, but with your background, blah, blah, blah, and the radiologist who read the CT scan recommends the MRI, blah, blah, blah, so we need to check it out further, blah, blah, blah.' So now, I get to wait around and stress out (and eat more gum drops and the dark chocolate M&M's which are hidden in the kitchen). My MRI is March 10 and then I go back to the doctor and we talk again at the end of March. I also need to go back for another blood test before the MRI. They suggested I go yesterday afternoon but I pointed out I had just been there and really didn't want two holes in my arm in one day. Needless to say I will be back at Lahey next week and can get the blood test then. It was a fun filled 59 minutes at Lahey.

Today's plans include going to my excavation appointment after working this morning (instead of sitting around and stressing out - but I can't remember if they told me I can eat and drink before it so I have to call... I may have blown it already if I can't. When life is stressful eat bacon for breakfast - new delivery yesterday.) Don't you just love the phrase 'dig it out'? I can't wait! Then post-excavation I plan on spending the afternoon with the cat watching a Netflix. He is more excited than I am. I may eat more gum drops and get another stomach ache too.