Had a Health Scare..

[DoxaDavid]

I am glad to report I will be here to bug you all for the foreseeable future.

A few weeks ago I noticed this lump on my left side down in the groin area a few inches inside from my hip bone. At first I wasn't that concerned as I thought it was a pulled muscle or even a hernia. I went to see my doctor and he ruled those out and told me I had an inflamed lymphoid. He informed me they are there to help your body fight an infection but I didn't appear to have any. He did the blood work and it came up normal. Now I am worried because if it isn't from an infection, the alternatives are not good. First thought was Hodgkin's or some other cancer and what stage, I'm thinking about my wife, my girls..was not good.

My doctor wanted me to see a surgeon and have it evaluated. Couldn't get in for a week which SUCKED because it gives lots of time to think of all the "what ifs". Finally went to see him yesterday and after a thorough exam, he believed the best course of action was to have a biopsy of the lymphoid. He wanted to do a full biopsy vs. a needle as he said we can't get a good picture from the needle and I agreed. He was able to schedule me for the next day. (today)

I went in this morning and had the procedure. For those that don't know what they do, you are awake, they numb up the area, make a small incision of about an inch and remove a piece of the lymphoid then sew you up.
Funny side note, since I had no desire to observe the procedure, I brought my iPod and had my eyes closed. I am listening to a little Doobie Brothers when I smelled something burning. I open one eye and see this wisp of smoke rising up and realize IT'S ME. The surgeon was using this cauterizing laser and I was being phaser'd like Kirk Zapping a Klingon! Ahhggg, not good

The procedure went well and he sent the sample off to the lab and they had the preliminary results back in a little over an hour. BENIGN..no cancer. Thank the Almighty. Whew..Just turned out to be a malfunctioning lymphoid. Gave me a bunch of antibiotics as a precaution and sent me home.

Feeling a bit of discomfort tonight but well worth it to know everything is OK.

Anyway, I know this sounds a bit odd but I am so happy it's nothing I wanted to vent to the world. I hear my grandma telling me, "If you don't have your health, you don't have anything". We all take our health for granted till something comes up like this and makes us realize our mortality so I just wanted to tell everyone, for at least a moment, DON'T. Hug your kids, your spouse and tell them you love em. Life is short and we never know what the terms of the contract are till most of the time it's too late so appreciate it.

Thanks for the vent and to all my friends at TRF along with their families, be well.



David

[onkyo]

Glad to hear that the lymph node was benign.

The waiting is always the worst part.....

I think you should buy a watch to celebrate.

[Andad]

Happy to see that your ok mate.

Now you will be thinking of things to do - Buy Buy.

[swatty]

Glad to hear everything is OK

[2careless]

Time to celebrate. Living is good!

[seantk]

Glad to hear everything turned out good.

Sean

[East Bay Rider]

Originally Posted by DoxaDavid

I am glad to report I will be here to bug you all for the foreseeable future...

I open one eye and see this wisp of smoke rising up and realize IT'S ME. The surgeon was using this cauterizing laser and I was being phaser'd like Kirk Zapping a Klingon! Ahhggg, not good...

Thanks for the vent and to all my friends at TRF along with their families, be well.



David

I'd say you were "stunned".


Glad you're ok

[Carolina]

Wow - glad everything turned out OK!!

[Lisa]

What a relief! David, I'm going to smooch on my girls extra today.

[rolexgiants]

great story!!!! best of health!!!!

[ratae1950]

Originally Posted by rolexgiants

great story!!!! best of health!!!!

ditto!

[Lion]

David, isn't it amazing how an event like this makes your life flash before your eyes. Then when everything is okay you become humble and tell yourself how lucky you are. Life is short and setting priorities becomes a goal to live your life by!!!

[DoxaDavid]

Originally Posted by Lion

David, isn't it amazing how an event like this makes your life flash before your eyes. Then when everything is okay you become humble and tell yourself how lucky you are. Life is short and setting priorities becomes a goal to live your life by!!!

It's so true. Last year a guy I went to college with found out he had colon cancer and died a few months later at 43. Left a wife and two small kids. What made me angry was he told his wife 2 YEARS before he saw blood in his stools and didn't go see a doctor because he thought "it was no big deal". What a selfish twit. Doctors said if they would have caught it back then, odds were good he would still be alive today.

Folks, GO see your doctor if you ever think there is something wrong. Excuses like you don't have the time, can't afford it or just are afraid are not worth the potential disastrous outcome. I said to myself, "I am 42 and not ready to leave this world." I wasn't excited about going to the doctor and even less so about being cut but when my friend's and family asked me if I was scared of the procedure I said NO. The potential negative results were scary, yes but my desire to know overrode any fear of what ever they were going to do. One of my best friends made the comment about not knowing something is far worse than getting bad news and dealing with it. I agree completely. Waiting the week to get in to see the doctor was not good and seemed to take forever.

Don't mean to preach, just feeling lucky.

Great idea Lisa, give the kiddies double smooches today.. I did mine as well.

Thanks everyone for the kind thoughts and while I don't plan on buying anything new to celebrate, I do have a greater appreciation for what I do have so it's like buying all my watches over again!

[wileen]

Enjoy Life!!

[JF23]

Glad to hear all is well David.

[Dan Pierce]

David,
Glad to hear the good news. My wife had a cancer scare a few years back and the "waiting", as Tom Petty says is the hardest part. She got another clean bill of health this week. EARLY DETECTION!!!!!!! It makes a difference.
dP

[bodybump]

David its a good thing you noticed it right away...Have good full recovery and everything will be alright..

[bodybump]

by the way you should have taken a picture hahahahah

[Yoda]

We all take life and quality of life for granted, enjoy the moment.

[DSJ]

42? You're WAY too old for me to be hanging out with!

Hey buddy, I'm really glad that everything turned out to be benign. Thank you also for sharing this information with the group. As we (especially men) age, we tend to want to ignore things, signs, that not all is right. Living in ignorance is no way to live, and to your point about your late friend, ignoring something that is likely treatable is literally Russian Roulette. Yeah, there might be a small chance that whatever is wrong with you is untreatable, another chance that it's "nothing," but the biggest chance that it COULD be something and CAN be treated.

[AJF]

That is great news.

AJF

[CharlieG]

Good to hear that all turned out well for you

[JimSnyder]

Great news David

[kcmo]

David, what a relief!!! Needless to say I'm so glad you're OK!

You did the right thing by tending to it and proving how important it is for us all to be extra cautious when it comes to our health!

Now take a deep breath and relax!

[B Square]

[vapalux]

Hi David . Glad to hear your are ok.

Rest up and look forward to the future and enjoy it!

Si

[JJ Irani]

All's well that ends well, David. Happy for you.

Nothing like good health.....that's the ONLY thing I pray for!!

[redshirt1957]

Life sure can be fragile. Glad that it worked out the way it did. Sometimes when the dominos start to fall the wrong way, we don't get a second chance. Thanks for the post.

[Rebel]

Great news.

[baldyspoon]

Glad to hear you are OK had simliar scare last year when I had trouble in the testicle area and they mentioned the C word but thank god was all clear, like you all I could think about was our son and my fiancee. Again had a scare this year with some moles changing size and colour but again all clear, I agree with you make the most of live as no one knows when the grim reaper is coming.