As some of you may already know, in July I was struggling with some digestive health issues. At that time my doctor had a CT scan conducted to see if I had diverticulitis. Unrelated to my digestive issues, the CT scan revealed some things that required further testing.
In August, I saw a number of doctors at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. To cut to the chase – I have a very large cancerous tumor in my abdomen. The technical term is “liposarcoma”. It is very rare. The good news is that the CT scans show this to be “well differentiated” which means it looks to be contained and has not aggressively spread elsewhere. :) The treatment is simply to remove the tumor and some surrounding tissue to keep it from returning. There is a 40% chance it will return. The bad news is that the tumor is against my left kidney and the nerve that controls my left leg. I have also visited with the doctors to discuss removing my left kidney as well. If the nerve to my leg is involved, I may have to undergo significant therapy to be able to walk after the surgery. The crazy thing is that the doctors believe this tumor has been with me for a long time, potentially as long as 10 years. The doctors also tell me that if all goes wellI’ll be in the hospital for 5-10 days and out of the office for a minimum of 4 weeks, more likely 6 weeks.
Read More of the journal titled "Stuff Happens" (
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