No Dancing For A While...

I've been a little lot side-tracked the past six weeks. Because I think there's

an important message that should be shared here, I'd like to tell you about it.

On April 17th, I had my regular, annual checkup. 

I'd been feeling great so I expected everything to be routine and uneventful. 

It was the beginning of many scary days for Handsome and me.

My regular doctor is a wonderful woman who is a family practitioner in Venice. I've been her patient for five years, so she knows me and my medical history pretty well by now.  She can do my "girly" stuff once a year, but if I get a cold, she can treat that, too, which I like. I also like that she always takes her time during our appointments and we cover just about everything before my actual hands-on exams.

At this year's appointment, she did her exam and reacted with alarm when she felt something she hadn't felt before. She checked again, made notes with her nurse and then said that we should talk after I got dressed. When I sat with her a few minutes later, she told me that she wanted me to have an ultrasound and then schedule an appointment to meet with a gynecologist. I left her office a little numb.

I had the ultrasound the next day, a further MRI procedure, and then made the appointment with her recommended gynecologist as soon as possible after that. The gynecologist reviewed the test results, made her own examination and then referred me to a gynecological oncologist in Sarasota the same day. 

If I told you that Handsome and I were nervous, it would be an understatement. We were concerned, and Handsome attended every single examination and conference with every doctor after that initial checkup. He was in the room, holding my hand every step of the way and I'm so grateful he was. Because he heard everything that was said to me, we could discuss what we were told and keep each other from misunderstanding or misinterpreting anything.

The result of all these appointments was that I had major surgery on May 23rd to remove what so concerned three different professionals. We told our family and close friends ahead of the date. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to know that mine were not the only prayers asking for a positive outcome. During the surgery, everything was tested right away. Thankfully, it all proved to be non-malignant and the surgery was concluded without having to do anything else but heal. All of our prayers were answered.

The doctor gave me strict orders to "take it easy" until I'm healed in four weeks. Handsome is taking great care of me, making sure I follow all the instructions we were given. I still tire very easily, but I do try to spend a little time in the studio. I promise to get my blog back to normal just as soon as I'm able.

I'm not telling you all of this now for sympathy or recognition. In fact, had this resolved any other way, I probably wouldn't have posted about it at all. (Remember, this blog is dedicated to Thoughts on a Joyful and Creative Life.) I would have kept the bad news to ourselves.

I want you to know because I had been feeling great prior to my April appointment. I really had no idea that there were things growing inside me that could have been life-threatening. I have gone for my annual appointments every single year since I turned 19...without fail. 

While I've been diligent, I'm aware that there are many women who don't get annual checkups. I would like to encourage you to make an appointment and make sure that you're healthy. It could save your life.