An appendix is useful for books, not as part of your GI when it becomes too large.

Notre Dame is having a winning season-and so am I.  That is exciting and welcome after several crummy seasons and Saturdays where my classmates and I groaned, "I can't even."

October 2018 has been an adventure in losing body parts, a thyroid isthmusectomy and an appendectomy.  I will start by describing the first identified health issue.  At the end of August, an ultrasound revealed that a cyst on my thyroid had "grown up" and was growing a personality of it's own.  My neck felt full.  September came and I met with a surgeon where he gave me the tough news, I had an increased chance of having Thyroid Cancer.  The chance was not high, but anything over 5% scares me.  In my mind, I had earned my stripes conquering multiple illnesses into remission and somehow functioning to get a social life in the past year and a half.

Buttercup (me) had to suck it up once again and gather lots of little joys to maintain her sense of well-being.  One can imagine that I did not cooperate for a fine needle biopsy (FNA) to determine whether the cyst was benign or malignant.  (For some sense of procedure description, they numb the area of your neck with painful lidocaine, and perform a biopsy of your thyroid cells with a long needle while the patient is awake.)  As I was unwilling to go through pain and exist as a character in a horror plot even for 20 minutes, I met with my Endocrinologist to discuss an alternate plan.  To be honest, I went to meet with her with a plan just to get the cyst removed regardless of cancer.

My Endocrinologist respected my wishes and sent me to an ENT Oncologist who gave me a plan.  He agreed to remove the cyst regardless of the benign or malignant status.  If the cyst was malignant, my entire thyroid would be removed and I would be laid up on the couch for about 7-10 days with Percocet and a babysitter. Fortunately, the cyst was benign which meant the taller than wide, featuring microcalcifications, rather full cyst could be removed.

Two weeks prior to having my surgery, I had the worst stomach ache just beneath my rib cage and was not eating much at all.  I weigh the least I have weighed in 7 years and my size 4 Banana Republic jeans almost fit.  The weight loss has all been credited to giving up Gluten.  On a Wednesday, after laying in bed all day, I felt a push to go to the Emergency Room to my stomach ache checked out.  After thinking that it might be a kidney stone, my favorite RN came in to tell me, "I do not know how you are even walking or tolerate this pain.  You DO have kidney stones, but your appendix has grown considerably since March.  You need to make some phone calls because you need emergency surgery."

I tried not to cry out of gratitude that I dodged a major bullet.  My life as I know it was just getting really good.  I have lots of friends here and I like my routine, a lot.  What's more is that people look after me.  (I am very independent and I have surrendered to let good people help me.)  Over the years, I have had answers to unspoken prayers and this blessing, of catching an appendix before it was to burst was an incredible act of love.  Maybe trying to do the right thing all the time has put me in good graces?  I don't know.  One night in the hospital, and I was good to go.  My surgeon was excellent with the whole Laproscopic surgery procedure.  I recovered well enough for my isthmusectomy which was scheduled after my sudden appendectomy.

The timing of the events could not have been more perfect.  The list of good people who helped me without my asking was an indescribable gift.  The prayers that were said by my high school, college classmates and local friends (I am a bit reluctant to ask for help as asking in the past has led to a quid pro quo expectation.)  The past year has had none of that quid pro quo with a polarizing but welcome shift to platonic selfless acts of love rendered on my behalf.

How has all of this come together, perfectly orchestrated?  Additionally, my insurance company was incredibly easy to deal with.  I have specifically asked God not to place previous challenges before me and my wishes were granted.  Today, I am pain free not owning any narcotics, and unencumbered by any grief.  I have so much to feel grateful for.  My Thanksgiving tree will be full of leaves and pretty.