So I was reading C Jane Run's blog and she was writing a story of her history that she thought someday her kids may want to hear. I am going to follow in her example today. I have had something very close to my heart for a few years now that I would like to have documented for my kids and grand kids to be able to read. So here it goes. (Warning this will probably be a little long but it is a story that deserves no details left out).
It all began in 2005 when my daughter Mattison was only 9 months old. I had a bump on my left shoulder that was becoming very uncomfortable. I had it for a little while but figured it would go away, maybe it was a zit or something. Well it continued to grow and it was starting to discolor my skin to a purplish color (just in the spot where the bump was :) ). So I went to my dad and asked him what it was and he told me it looked like a sebaceous cyst. That is just a little sac of fluid, nothing to worry about, it just needed to be removed. So I went to my PCP where I was told the same thing that my dad had told me. They referred me to a general surgeon to remove the cyst. I met with the general surgeon who told me that she agreed it was just a cyst. We scheduled the surgery, the only problem was I was going to have to wait about a month or so for it to be removed. I figured okay I was going on vacation with my family anyways so I will just tough it out. My family and I all went to Atlantis in the Bahamas to celebrate my parents 30th wedding anniversary. It was an amazing time. We created so many wonderful memories.
We came home and my shoulder was hurting me quite a bit more and it was growing even more. So I called the surgeon and asked if they could please get me in sooner. They said she was booked but they could get me in with one of her associates. I said "Yes". I wanted it out. The sore was becoming so uncomfortable that it even hurt when the shower water hit it.
So that next week I went into the surgeons office and he removed it right there.
So I figure everything is okay now, it's out and that is that. Now the small scar just has to heal and that's the end. He did tell me that they send the cyst to a lab just to make sure everything is okay and he would contact me in a few days.
So a little more than a week later I am home by myself when the doctor calls me. He calls to tell me my tumor (not cyst) came back malignant and that it is called Sarcoma. He than told me if I want to know more about it to look it up on the Internet. Yes you heard me right, look it up on the Internet. I then told him my dad is a doctor and could probably tell me about it. The doctor said "Here is my pager number have your dad call me right back." I told him okay. I then said "Doesn't malignant mean cancerous?" He said "Yes, just have your dad page me right away". I hung up and called my dad right away. I told my dad everything and he was stunned. He asked me if I was sure he said Sarcoma. I told him yes that I had even had the doctor spell it for me. I hung up with my dad while he paged the doctor. I called my husband and asked him to come home right away I was a little shaken up obviously. He hurried home to me and held me in his big warm arms. My dad called me back and told me that he and my mom where on there way over to talk to us. For anyone who knows my dad they know he contributes every sickness to allergies :). At least that is our running family joke. So when my dad said that he and my mom were on their way over I was a little alarmed. They came over and stated we were going to be aggressive with this and my diet was going to change and everything was going to be fine. I agreed I knew deep down everything was going to be fine. Thank goodness to a lot of my dad's connections we had a lot of miracles come our way. We had a dear friend who hooked us up with a specialist from Mayo Clinic. There are only 2 doctors in the state of Arizona that specialize in this type of tumor. My father contacted this doctor and told him my story. It is normally a couple of months at least to get in with him but he squeezed us in right away. Our first meeting with him was in between his surgeries in a cast room. That in itself was a miracle. He told us he wanted a MRI done right away. He also said most likely I would have chemotherapy and also radiation done so we could really attack this. So I had the MRI done and I had blood work done and then we scheduled the surgery. They sent my tumor to Harvard to be tested and looked at by a man who has written the book on these types of tumors. I was told that this type of tumor usually only shows up in people who are at least in there thirties. Mind you I am 25 years old, newly married and have a 9 month old daughter. Then I was told that only 1% of people who get tumors have this type of tumor. So needless to say it is a rare thing to get. I asked my father to give me a blessing before my surgery. He of course agreed. So we had a special fast and that night my dad, husband and many other men that I love so much stood in a circle and gave me a blessing from my Heavenly Father. I felt such a strong spirit as these loving men encircled me with their love and power of the priesthood. I was blessed that all would be well and that the spirit would direct the doctors hands. After the blessing I felt especially good about everything and what the outcome would be. All of my family was so very strong for me. My husband held me when I needed to cry, laughed with me when I needed a laugh and loved me through it all. My parents did EVERYTHING in their power to help me. My dad missed work (which he doesn't do) they went to all my appointments with me so my husband could go to work so we could still pay all our bills. My sister Tara watched my little one and was a great support to me. All of my sisters and my family and friends were there. They prayed for me, I know it because I felt the strength I needed to get through all of this because of their prayers and faith. A few days later I was told that by some miracle the tumor was benign. The doctor told us that not only usually is it that only 1% of people that get a tumor have this rare type but it is a 1% chance that of that 1% is it benign. When I was told that, I actually lost my breath for a moment. I know that the blessing I received healed me that day. The doctors may not see it that way but I surely do! During all of this I had to stop nursing cold turkey which was hard on me and the baby. I was still suppose to have the procedure done to clean out the surrounding tissue so that it wouldn't come back. My dear friend Jen Bryce took me to have the out patient surgery done so that my mother could care for my little one. I am so grateful to all of those who were there for me and my little family. I know there are not strong enough words to express how grateful I am to all of those who prayed for me and helped by using their resources to help me. A little time after the surgery was done and I was doing good I was driving with my parents and my baby. We were discussing how grateful we were that everything went they way it did. We were so grateful for this miracle that God blessed us with. My father then proceeded to tell me something that no one had told me the whole time I was going through this ordeal. He told me that when the first surgeon went in and took the tumor out and closed me up he had pretty much ended my life. When he cut the tumor it causes a wildfire effect. It spreads throughout the body so fast you can not stop it. I was to die within 6 weeks to 6 months at the most. Once again I lost my breath. When my father talked to the man who looked at my tumor from Harvard he told my father to tell me that I have dodged a bullet. I want my Heavenly Father to know how grateful I am that He let me live. Thank you for blessing me with another baby. I just recently had a follow-up MRI done and I am happy to announce it came back clean!!! I am more grateful now than ever that I am blessed to take breath everyday!
because he cares so much about everyone he knows. He is well respected in the home at church and in the professional world. He is admired by all his family and friends. I just want my dad to know that I as his #1 favorite daughter that I love and appreciate all he does for me and my family. Love you dad!!!
