In Stitches

 


Although I have some very "wonky" health related issues (strange food allergies, "uneven" feet and other stuff that I won't get into), I am a relatively healthy person.  Sure I've had bouts of strange "diseases" (Costochondritis, Pityriasis rosea) but (thankfully), I've rarely been hospitalized.  I've gone to the ER several times (I used to have an issue with swallowing and things would get caught in my esophagus so that I could breath, but not swallow...muscle relaxants sometimes helped, but once I had to be knocked out and had the protein based object pushed down to my stomach), but have only stayed overnight in a hospital twice thus far.  (Once when I was a teen and they had to take out all my wisdom teeth at once and the other when I had a hysterectomy.)  I MAY have broken my little toe once, but other than that...

I'm lucky.  I'm blessed.  I get it.  And I appreciate it.

So I was a little freaked out when a cyst started to grow on the back on neck.  Let me be clear, it had been there for a while.  I know it had been observed when I went to the dermatologist over the years.  (I tried to go annually to get checked out.  I've got A LOT of moles, which I am not fond of, and I know they need to be checked for changes.)  However, recently I could feel a change.  It hurt when I pressed down on it.  Sometimes it seemed to itch.  I needed to have it looked at.

So I did.  I made an appointment with my local (so local that I can walk there) dermatological practice last week.  The PA I saw confirmed that it was a cyst and should be removed. (He also checked my skin out and I had 3 small "things" removed.)  He couldn't do it that day, so I made an appointment for this week.

And then I ruminated on it.  In the midst of all the other chaos in my life (work issues and selling the shore house...which still hasn't closed and it's driving me up a wall), I worried about what it was and the procedure that was going to be done.  In my mind, this thing was growing and spreading every single second of my life.  I wanted it gone.

Well, Tuesday was the day.  It was the first time in my 50+ years that I had surgery while I was awake.  And I was nervous.  (Heck, I'm ALWAYS nervous!  It's no secret that I am an over-anxious human being.)

I got to lay on my stomach and have the PA clean the area and then inject it so that it would be numb.  There were a LOT of little "stings" as he injected all around the site.  (He commented that it was large...this did not calm me down at all.   As a matter of fact, I got jittery/shaky as he did it.  Nothing major, but maybe I shouldn't have had a cup of coffee that morning.) About five minutes after all the injections were done, he came back and started to (I assume) do the cutting and scrapping.

Obviously, I couldn't see (and I didn't want to see) all that was going on.  (If my mom was still alive, I know she would have wanted to be there and observed.  That's how she was.)  I know that there was quite a bit of blood.  (I could see used gauzes while I got dressed afterwards.)  Then he "sewed" me up.  (Other than the hysterectomy I have never had stitches before...and those dissolved....these will not.) and had the assistant put on a dressing one and that was that.  In all honesty, it wasn't that bad.  (It wasn't a walk in the park either, but...)  I received a prescription for an antibiotic (to prevent the chance of infection) and instructions on how to care for the wound.  I have to go back in 2 weeks to have the stitches removed. (Should I be nervous about that?  Even if I shouldn't...you know I will be!)

The only issues I've had thus far are:

  • Getting my local CVS to fill my prescription.  They didn't have Augmentin in stock.  I ended up getting the script sent to another CVS that filled it with no problem.
  • Soreness/achiness in the area.  It's not painful, but it's uncomfortable.  (Of course it's going to be uncomfortable...I had a big hunk of skin cut out of me and then sewn back together.)  I'm supposed to keep my head up, with limited bending. (You know how well that has gone.)  I elevated my laptop to try and help with that, but...There is a lot of tension in my neck and shoulders.  (Of course that's nothing new.)
  • Sleeping, even with the help of Tylenol PM. Again, I'm supposed to be elevated, which I kind of was.  But I can't really sleep on my back (which is what I usually end up doing.)  I tried both sides, which kind of worked.  I woke up several times and by around 3 in the morning, my right leg was not happy with how things were going.  By 4:30 I got up, even though I wasn't supposed to do any exercise/walking for the first day or so.
  • Getting ready for (and to) work.  No showers for me.  Trying to get my hair washed didn't go too well.  Getting a shirt on over my head was a challenge too.  (The dressing is quite big and bulky.) Carrying a backpack to the office.  (Thankfully I had it hanging "low" so that it didn't hit the area.)

As I sit at my desk, I am "uncomfortable."  (There are worse things to be.) I'm going to need some more Tylenol.  I'll be glad to be home tonight and fingers crossed after a shower, dressing change and another dose of Tylenol PM, I'll have a better night's sleep.

 

However uncomfortable I am, I am grateful that this cyst has been removed.  I am grateful that I have the resources to get it removed.  And I know that while it may take a little time,  all will soon be well.  (Especially if we close on the house at the shore this week...even in "discomfort" I am focused on that. Yes, I have no patience.)  As George Harrison so aptly said, "all things must pass away..."



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