Friday, January 11, 2008

The 3rd Degree and Other 2008 Happenings


Well, the new year has certainly been a busy one for our family. The boys have spent loads of time enjoying their gifts from Santa and all of our friends and family. Al and I have been tripping over trains and trucks for two weeks now. Work has kept us out of the house but having the opportunity to care the patients and families makes time spent away from the boys a bit easier. I finally got around to taking down all of the Christmas decorations on Monday before watching our poor Buckeyes loose to LSU :( Carson and Eli were sad to see the Christmas tree go away and my heart was breaking watching the game! We also have been blessed with several snowstorms over the past two weeks (in addition to absurd 70 degree weather and severe storms for a few days). C and E perfected their snowball techniques and seem to catch me off guard whenever my back is turned. Sneaky little men they are growing into.


A few sore spots in 2008 have also popped up in addition to all of our good times. Eli ended up with 2nd and 3rd degree burns on three of his fingers on his right had this past Sunday. We were at my parents' house and he touched the hot burner on the stove right after I took the tea pot off of it. He didn't cry once and calmly told the ER doctor that he "shouldn't touch the hot stove, only [his] playdough stove". I have been scrubbing the burns daily with soap and water, putting neosporin on them, and doing ROM since the burns are across his knuckles. He doesn't seem to notice any of it and is going about life as usual.


Carson's little rat also kicked the bucket this week. Wednesday Al and I were leaving to pick up the boys and I noticed Snow wasn't looking so hot. She looked deflated. Snow went to "doggie heaven" as Carson put it, shortly afterwards and when Al and I picked up the boys we told Carson the bad news. We gave him the option of getting a new rat or just sharing Eli's rat, Storm. He, of course, decided to got straight to the pet store and pick out a new rat. Our newest family member could be an even whiter clone of Snow appropriately named Blizzard by Carson. Storm and Blizzard are getting along well and Carson is healed from his grief.


I also have some bad medical news. I will be having surgery next Wednesday, 1/16. I have an abdominal wall tumor which is through my rectus abdominis muscle. They do not know what the tumor is but possible diagnosis are endometrioma, desmoid tumor, and soft tissue sarcoma. They will have to do a full thickness, wide, aggressive excision with >2cm margins due to the possibility of malignancy. I should have the pathology back within 48 hours. They may need to do a mesh graft of my abdominal wall due to the size of the muscle defect after the tumor is removed. They do not know how much tissue will need to be taken until they get in there and see how much it has grown since my MRI on 12/26. Wish me luck and pray that my recovery is fast and that it is not cancer. I need to get back to my family and my work as soon as possible.


Well, that is a wrap-up of 2008 so far. I have tons of great pictures to post but I need to upload them to my computer first. I have Sunday off of work so hopefully you will see some bright, shining Carson and Eli pics then.

10 comments:

Lori said...

Oh, Kellie. I am SO sorry. Nobody deserves to go through this kind of fear after what you have been through. I will say a prayer for you. Please let us know how you are!

Lori

Billie said...

Good luck Kellie. You will be in my thoughts.

abby said...

Kellie: we're also thinking about you and hope that everything turns out okay.

baby james said...

WOW not the best of 2008 yet, but it is still early. My thoughts and prayers are definately with you and your family. It is strange the emotions we can have for someone we ahve never met. Good luck with your surgery and a speedy recovery. Please keep us informed and your strength will prevale. Love Tracy

Jessica said...

Kellie~
BEst of luck with your surgery. I'll be praying for you!

tiffany said...

We're all here for you hon and have no doubt you will get through this in no time like you do everything!

Jennifer said...

I'm keeping you in my good thoughts Kellie - I hope its not the worst!

Amanda said...

oh my gosh, I am praying for you! Keep us updated!

Anonymous said...

Tons of P&PTs that your surgery goes well and that you don't need any more treatment

Anonymous said...

My name is Lindsey, and I live in Washington State; I found your blog when I was researching the condition. I too was diagnosed with a 8x4 mass in my rectis muscle. I underwent an ultra sound, CT, and MRI..then ultimately had a CT guided biopsy in which they found out it was consistant with endometrioma from my C-section five years earlier. I had to see a specialist in Seattle to remove it because of the sheer size of the mass. They also told me the possiblities of what it could be before the biopsy was done, and so I understand the fear you went through. I am still recovering from my surgery. My doctor has chemically induced menapause and put me on an oral hormone blocker, I have to go through this for six months in order to assure that any microscopic traces of endometriosis are killed off so that nothing grows back. When they went to remove it..it had already grown another two inches in length, my doctor said it was the most impressive growth he has seen of it's kind in the muscle. It is a very rare occurance, and so I thought you would like to hear that you are not the only one and I will pray for you and your beautiful boys that only the best of health and happiness is in your families future...

Lindsey Robles