Let me give you a little background - I am a 55 year old married woman with 2 grown children, 5 grandchildren and 3 step-sons. I am very active, love to travel, workout, live a healthy life and have fun! I enjoy a weekend of drinking wine and dancing with my husband or hanging out with the kids/grandkids/step-sons for game night, movies or pool time. I live life to the fullest with no regrets!
So, this is my story on what happened to me and how I ended up having surgery 18 days ago to remove a 10lb ovarian cyst. As I said earlier, I am all about health and fitness, getting my doctors visits and taking care of myself. I log my food, water and exercise daily in my Fitbit app and I have been doing so for 4 years so I can track my successes and know when it's time to be stricter if I've put on a few pounds. I do enjoy having cocktails, so I try to find a balanced lifestyle. About one year ago, YES ONE YEAR AGO, I noticed some changes to my body. My stomach was not as flat as it used to be and after a vacation with my husband, I wasn't able to drop the weight like I usually do. So, we are talking 2-3 lbs and it was annoying, but not the end of the world. I decided it was my age and weight doesn't come off as easy and I could be getting some belly fat. It happens to woman my age.
That was last March... as the months went by and into Summer, it was clear that this "little pouch" wasn't going anywhere or the extra 3-4lbs now. Again, I decided it was my age and I must not be trying hard enough. So, I re-committed to my gym workouts 3 times a week, no matter what. Through the summer, on vacations, I would not miss a workout. Log my food faithfully and do better. I, also, added in a heavy dose of ab exercises too! I was self conscious about it because it made a difference to me and it bothered me. Believe me, my girlfriends heard my complaining all the time. I would even joke I felt like I was pregnant. At this point, I'd say my waist was probably 2-3 inches bigger after the summer and it was making some of my clothes more challenging, but I was great at disquising it. The loose flowy tops and stretchy jeans worked well for me.
In August, I had a complete physical with my general physician and bloodwork and I checked out 100% A-OK and I didn't mention my expanding stomach to the doctor because I believed it was me. I was doing something wrong and I was just eating too much. I had gotten to the point where I was trying to eat between 900-1000 calories a day because it was the only way I could lose weight. I was so frustrated, I even mentioned I might see a plastic surgeon for lypo suction. Because this fat had to go!
As I write this down, I want to shake myself and say, WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK YOUR DOCTOR???? And, honestly, I don't know why it never occurred to me because I thought I'm 55 and this must be my body changing after menopause. I would google belly fat, ab exercises, gaining weight after 55, but I never googled UNEXPLAINED weight gain around the middle and bloating. I would have found a completely different answer.
By the beginning of November, I was feeling desperate. I had just come back from Italy and an indulgent birthday weekend. So, I was determined I needed to drop 5lbs (I was up close to 10lbs now and decided if I can lose 5, I could be okay with that). In addition to my workouts, I added in 10,000 steps a day with a goal of 70,000 or more steps a week. And I got on Amazon and ordered the best selling diet pill. BIG MISTAKE! I know better, I know its not how you lose weight, but I was desperate. Did they work? Well, I wasn't as hungry and I was able to manage at the low calories and by mid-December I had dropped 6lbs, but guess what? My waist was getting bigger. Everything else was shrinking, but my tummy!!! And I was hungry...
For every step forward, I felt like I was taking 3 steps back. I found myself binge eating because I was so hungry and it became a vicious cycle through December. Then I had a great idea to get Cool Sculpting on my tummy!!! Freeze the fat cells and they disappear. So, I did that in January because I was so embarrassed by my stomach and making every excuse I could why this was happening. I was wearing leggings and big tops and I was still working out 3 days a week and getting my steps but nothing was working. I looked 5 months pregnant.
In the meantime, I made my annual OBGYN appointment just to get my yearly check and pap smear. Nothing else, no other reason. I will REMEMBER this date forever because EVERYTHING changed on February 9th. I went to the gym first for my workout and then I had an 11:50 appointment. I spent the first 20 minutes just discussing things with my doctor and telling her how great I felt because I had no symptoms, I was in NO pain and as far as I was concerned I was just fat around the middle. During the course of her examination she asked if there was anything else before she did my pap smear and I casually mentioned, I had put on some weight and my waist was a lot bigger. I told her how frustrated I was and how I've been trying for months and nothing was working. She immediately became alert and started asking me questions, checked my stomach and then said, she wanted to check me out internally. I remember thinking, hmmmm... what's going on? As she does the examination, she says, I feel something in there and I'd like to do an ultrasound.
When she left the room I felt TWO things immediately, the first thing I felt was fear and I sent my good friend Debbie (my person) a message and it was very short. "I'm scared". Then, the very next feeling I had was RELIEF because if she found out why my body was doing this, I was going to be so happy... So I laid on the table for over 30 minutes while the technician did an ultrasound and took all sorts of pictures and measurements and I had no idea was going on, but I prayed I'd have some answers soon. Yes, I prayed the whole time I was there for God to keep me calm and not leave my side.
Let me just say this, the doctor and nurses at Adriatica Womens Health were AMAZING that day and so kind and compassionate and comforting because I was about to be FREAKED OUT. I went back to the room and waited for Dr. Steininger and I was nervous because I had no idea what she was going to say. Her first words were, forget everything else we discussed earlier because now we have something that needs immediate attention. Through the buzzing in my head, she proceeds to tell me I have a LARGE mass on my right ovary that needs to be removed and she knows the best doctor for this. She proceeds to explain she is sending me to a Gynecological Oncologist for this and of course I am just zeroing in on the word ONCOLIGIST. My mom died of cancer so I am familiar with this. I had a moment right then, just a moment of real fear, but then I pulled myself together and listened. She also wanted to do a blood test there before I left to test for a tumor marker which would help determine my risk for cancer. I'm a robot now just doing what she says, thanking her and following orders. And I didn't have any questions, because I just couldn't think of anything but what she just said.
When I got in my car, I started shaking and thinking, I cant believe this is happening, but I need to pull myself together. I called my friend Debbie, gave her the update which calmed me down and then drove home to tell Randy, my husband. I knew he would be surprised, shocked as I was and I needed to be calm and I was. I told Randy quickly and gave him the information and he was as calm as could be and hugged me tight and said, you will be fine. This is NOT cancer! I needed the assurance and his absolute faith that I would be fine. The next thing I needed to do was tell my kids. When my mom was sick and found out she had cancer, she didn't tell us right off and I really wish I had known from the very beginning so I could have been there for her and I knew I would tell my kids the truth from the first moment and not leave them in the dark.
Those calls were hard because I didn't want to scare them, but be honest and factual. I knew it would scare them because I received a similar call and it scared me ALOT! But, I also know my daughter Brooke and son Colby are strong and they are faithful and I needed their prayers and their support. And then something wonderful happened... there was a knock at the door and we opened it and I saw my son-in-law, Tyler, standing there and I looked at him and said, You came here to pray for me, didn't you? He said, yes mam and gave me a big hug. Let me just say this right now, were have an AMAZING GOD and he never left my side from the moment this happened. And when Tyler took my hand and Randy's hand and we sat in a circle, Tyler said the most beautiful prayer and I felt this complete feeling of peace wash over me. And I am here to tell you, for the next 13 days before surgery, I had that peace and calmness with me the whole time.
Unfortunately, the doctor's office I needed to call was closed at noon, so I would have to wait the ENTIRE weekend before calling Monday morning. I sat down and contacted a lot of friends and asked for prayers, because THAT works, I know it works and I was not disappointed! I had friends praying all over the U.S. for me and I was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was at that point, I decided there was no point worrying about it because it wouldn't help at all, so we continued our plans for the weekend and stayed busy, Dinner, movies, margaritas and good times! And I tried to stay off the internet so I wouldn't read all the terrible things that could go wrong or be wrong with me.
Monday morning arrived and I called the Oncologist at 9 am and was fortunately able to get an appointment the next day at 11:30! Praise the Lord! Then I got a call from the nurse with two pieces of news. First, the blood markers came back at LOW RISK for cancer and that was the beginning of many prayers that were answered. The next piece of news took me back, the size of the cyst was 30cm. Well, I knew that was big but didn't know the inches until Randy asked Alexis and she said 11 1/2 inches!!! What????? Are you kidding me??? How is that possible? I was shocked, seriously shocked. Fortunately, with cysts, bigger does not mean MORE dangerous. In fact, the blood marker coming back low risk and me not having any symptoms was a good sign. But, seriously, almost a foot long?
Tuesday came and Randy and I met with Dr. Soto and I loved her! She did her examination and then met with me and Randy. She very plainly explained what needed to happen. I would need surgery, not laproscopic surgery because of the size of the tumor and an incision from my pelvis past my belly button, vertical. She recommended a complete hysterectomy at the same time. When the cyst was removed they would do a biopsy right then to determine if it was cancer. And that was that! I wanted it out as soon as possible. I had to take more blood tests for tumor markers which all came back normal, again prayers answered. I was called on Thursday with a surgery date of the following Thursday, February 22nd for surgery and pre-op on Tuesday! All I could think of was GET IT OUT!
I spent the next week getting everything organized at the house, making lists upon lists trying to get everything in order for Randy because I would require a 6 week recovery and 4 weeks of no cleaning, cooking or laundry. So, he was going to be working and doing all the house stuff too with the help of his son, Luke. I continued to workout and get my steps because I wanted to be in the best shape possible for surgery. I figured the stronger I am the faster I would heal.
Pre-Op required more bloodwork, EKG and other tests. I figured I would breeze through that, no big deal. I got a call that night that my potassium was elevated and my EKG was inconclusive. I had a moment of panic because I thought this would keep me from surgery, but they put me on meds to bring down the potassium and they would do another EKG the morning of surgery. I asked my prayer warriors again to pray hard and they did! I spent Wednesday on a liquid diet and we were up at 4:30am Thursday morning headed to the hospital. I was not scared or nervous, not one bit. I am telling you when I say God gave me PEACE, he gave me PEACE. "Through prayer you will experience God's peace that surpasses all understanding." Philippians 4:7
Randy, my dad, my brother and sister-in-law were at the hospital the morning of surgery and everything happened right on schedule and went smoothly. I woke up in recovery in a lot of pain, but once they got it under control, I can honestly say I never felt any REAL pain again. When they rolled me into my room, my family was there and the first thing I said to Randy was, Was it benign? I didn't know and no one had told me. And that was the BIGGEST prayer that was answered. NO CANCER...
I could go into detail about the days in hospital and the days here recovering and if anyone has questions, I am happy to tell you. But, its been really good and my body is getting back to normal. I lost 16lbs and over 8 inches in my waist! I feel like a new person, the old Denise. I didn't realize how much I was carrying around until it was gone because it grew for over a year, but what I want to share is this, PLEASE CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANYTHING THATS NOT YOUR NORMAL. You are the only one who knows those changes and even if they seem silly or not that big of a deal, they could be. And if you experience the bloating or unusual weight gain, see your doctor because it NEVER occurred to me it was a cyst. I had never heard of this or one that big. I have included some photos. Pictures of me before and after surgery and the "CYST". I call it my Celebrity Cyst because its a big one and its been showed around a lot. I still find myself staring at it wondering how in world it was in there and I didn't know it...
Finally, I have to say that when something like this happens, you don't realize how loved you are... my husband was ALL IN from the moment I told him, never doubting I would be okay, my kids were ALL IN with their love and support, my family, my friends prayed for me, called me, texted me, sent cards, bought me get well baskets, sent flowers, cooked meals and visited. I found out I was more blessed then I could ever imagine. This is what I will never forget... all the LOVE and mostly GOD'S LOVE because he never left me, not once. "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." Jeremiah 17:14
I am so grateful for my health and I hope that by sharing this and opening myself up like this it will help another woman NOT go through this like I did.
This is me a week before surgery being my best self before the operation!
That is the giant cyst they removed and below it is my belly button so you can see how long the incision was...
A few hours after surgery they had me up and walking...
My teammate and partner in life walking with me in the hospital...
Before surgery and two weeks after surgery...
Before and after again...
