Well, it's been a few months since my last update. I went back to work after surgery. A little more exhausted but I made it through the end of the school year. Thankfully my mammogram and ultrasound were just cysts on both sides. I went back to my follow up with the urologist. He gave me news that I was not expecting. He told me that I need to have lung x-rays every three months this first year. He said there is a chance that kidney cancer will travel through your blood stream and go into your lungs. In my mind -- I am thinking he's being extra cautious. (which I appreciate!) I definitely want to catch things early. Then, I go home and hit Google.
But that is not what I found. One site said that RCC (renal cell carcinoma) has a 50 - 60% of spreading to your lungs. Another site said that it is up to 93% recurrence rate in the lungs within the first five years. So even if I ignore the last statistic because that is too much to think about. It's still a 50% chance of it going to my lungs. A cancer which is not treatable with chemo or radiation. So I have my first x-ray the end of July and the follow up urologist appointment the beginning of August.
So the last thing on my list of things wrong way back in November -- were cysts and fibroids on my uterus. I already had one pelvic ultrasound to look at them but the doctor would not even consider treating anything until after I had my cancer surgery. I went again for another pelvic ultrasound last week. She apparently found lots of things that are not supposed to be in there during ultrasound. 
During my gynecologist appointment, I was told that I still have at least one cyst and several fibroids. However they are not just in my uterus. They are also growing on the outside of my uterus and taking it over. They are so large that they are probably rubbing on other organs around there. Which actually could be part of the pain that I originally went to the doctor for in October.
So, next month I will be having a hysterectomy. It will be my third surgery in 8 months. Unfortunately, the soonest that they could get me in the OR is 2 weeks before I go back to school. I am on the list and if there is an opening in the OR sooner then they will call me. My pre-op appointment is next week, so I can be called anytime after that. I am praying that I am able to get in sooner so I have more recovery time before school starts.
It really has been such a journey the past several months. I have seen God's hand of protection through it all. If I would not have had unexplained pain in September and finally went to the doctor in October, I would probably not be here today. Yes, kidney cancer is slow growing and it would have grown to be untreatable. But, my gallbladder would have made me septic before then. I am thankful to God because each of my diagnosis through this process could have been so much worse. And although I am unsure of the purpose He is saving me for. I know that He writes my story.
