wreck, boom, bang

Life... so much has happened in my life since the last blog post. However, I had to write for a few reasons, but for now, I am going to focus on a few recent events. Hopefully, my journey might be what inspires or encourages someone out there to be their own best health advocate. 

It is kind of long, so I will share in a 3 Part journey.

PART ONE

You know you the best. And I had a sneaky feeling, something was off with me. I have had a few weird and annoying symptoms pop up around April this year. I fussed and complained to all my doctors. And in the back of my mind, I wondered. Maybe, just maybe, I was having some unconscious psychosomatic issues because I am right at the 10 year mark of finding my cancer. Was it all in my head?

I didn't have long to ponder the problem long. Life hit. My daughter got injured at camp. My son finished grad school and moved back home. My dad got really sick (not sure how much he wants me to discuss - but it has been tough). Hospital trips. Doctor appointments. My daughter finally got better and was in a few movies and back training in her sports. College trips with my daughter. Chiropractors. Doctor appointments for me, my dad, and my daughter too. Life was in full swing on full speed and was fully taking me it every direction.

Then once it seemed somewhat manageable, my daughter and I were in a rearended. My son got sick. More hospital trips and doctor appointments. And a ton of other life things happened too - 

a reminder, all those things listed happened within a few months

So, I am for sure somewhat crazy in the head... however, one of those things did make me think I might not be as crazy as I thought. 

When we were rearended, my husband was worried about both my daughter and myself and said we had to go to the hospital. She had hit head against the window next to her (and she was hurting). I had flung my head into my chest area (and I was hurting too). I am not going to get into all the car accident issues and the horrible day and night I had at the hospital with my daughter, myself, and my son... because we are still trying to figure out all the damage it caused (and it has been hard and sucky for my whole family for multiple issues). 

But I will say, the hospital ran a number of tests. While sitting in my room, I had the normal thoughts that most people have while waiting. But as a cancer survivor, there is always a lingering, "Please, don't let there be anything suspicious." And for the first time in a long time, a doctor came into my room with the I need to talk to you serious look. 

He had the cautionary unsure look I have seen before. The look like, you better be sitting down because I have something to say look. I'm a parent - and gone through two rounds with teenagers - I'm a master of this look. 

He explained that I had some lymph nodes that looked suspicious, but no masses or tumors on my CT scan. There were issues with my axillary lymph nodes on my left side (a bunch of lymph nodes in my mesenteric and iliac... and a few other abnormal things). He says I need to call my Oncologist as he thinks I need a PET scan to be on the safe side. So, it wasn't bad bad news... but it was new news. 

I had a number of things show up on my scan. While some may be due to the accident, some may not be. I do know that just a few months ago I got the all clear on my mammogram and from the Oncologist during my regular check up appointments. And the last time I had CT scans done like this was in 2020 - none of these issues were on my scan. 

The last thing the nurse said to me as I was walking out was, "that car accident may be a blessing in disguise." Yikes, that didn't make me feel great. But it did make me leave the visit knowing it is time for me to do a bunch of calls and to not let this go.