My dad has a tumor in his spine. The doctor's found it a year ago during an MRI for something unrelated. And by 'in his spine' I mean the thing is dead center in the middle of his spinal cord. As of six months ago it hadn't grown any and it was anyone's guess as to how long it had been there. As of yesterday it had grown a millimeter in diameter.
It's going to start pressing on the nerves soon. No idea what 'soon' means, but the doctor is surprised that symptoms haven't shown up yet. And what symptoms to expect? Numbness in the feet and legs? Loss of control of bladder or bowel control? Paralysis?
So operate, right? Well...like I said it's in the middle of his spinal cord. They can't get it out without cutting through some of the nerves which very well may mean the loss of bladder/bowel control, paralysis, etc. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. At this point they're going to just keep watching it, MRIs every six months and wait and see if symptoms show up.
I am so scared. I am totally a daddy's girl and I don't know how to even process all this. My hands are shaking as I type this. What would I do without my dad in my life?
3 comments:
OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH...... holy shit.
wow. you must be scared. talk to him, tell him you're scared. he's probably scared, too. listen to the doctors. has he gotten a second opinion? what about radiation and/or chemo?
i know it's hard to not jump to the worst conclusion, but try not to jump to the worst conclusion.
try and stay calm. talking about it is the best thing. freaking out internally will drive you crazy.
call me/email me any time. i'm sorry you're going through this.
Thanks, Yo. =)
The not knowing is the worst. Right now all they know is that it is a growth of some kind. Once they can get at it, what if it's cancer? Really? Game over. I guess we'll just jump off that bridge when we come to it...
there are TONS of treatment options. cancer does not necessarily mean jump off the deep end. it's bad, i won't lie to you, but you don't know anything for sure yet.
breathe in, pass out.
why the EFF bomb do these test results take so mother loving longg?? it's ridiculous.
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