5.16 - Neck

I had plans to run with a friend. She woke up and her knee hurt so she cancelled. But I woke up and my neck was really bad so I was going to cancel.

Dave took vacation from work.  But the specialist fit me in  for my neck so Dave stayed home in the afternoon with Ella and I went to my appointment. It wasn't his idea of a vacation day but it worked out. Dave sent me pictures of Ella throughout my appointment. I really enjoyed that.

I was gone for 3 hours. I saw the specialist. He wanted me to get a CT scan urgently. I went for one then came back and we looked at the films together. Then he did a biopsy.  This was all for a lump in my neck I noticed a few weeks ago but it only started hurting a few days earlier. I actually went to my doctor before the pain started but it took a bit to get something scheduled with the specialist.  During the biopsy it was pus so they will be testing that but it's different than a biopsy. I have a branchial cleft cyst. I was born with it but it just decided to get infected for some reason or other.  They got the pus out. I was so disappointed to not have pictures of this. He started the biopsy using 25 gauge needle.  He stopped after a little since he saw it was pus. He opened the door and shouted to someone for a bigger needle. He got 19 gauge and got a numbing agent to get more pus out. He got a lot out but my neck lump still seems huge.  I got blood work when leaving too. I figured I might as well get it all done if possible. It's so hard to go with Ella and since Dave was home I just wanted it done.

The doctor thought I needed the CT scan urgently because he said it kept pulsating and he was worried it was my carotid artery. He didn't want to biopsy that. It turns out it was just so large and pressing on the carotid artery that's why it was pulsating.  The CT scan showed the mass being 2.3 x 2.4 x 3.3 cm.

It was so weird to have a doctor say something needed done urgently and leave the room to get me squeezed in. He didn't even close the exam room door when he left.  I was sending messages to my mom and Dave during all this. I think they were both more worried than me. I wasn't worried because I always figure everything I go to the doctor for is really nothing and it's all in my head. I guess it's better not to worry.

I have to take anitbiotics and go back in a week.  In the next month or two I have to have surgery to remove the cyst.

I got home at 4. I fed Ella and she went to sleep. I can't even remember what happened next and I'm typing this only 1 day later.

I know I cooked dinner and 30 seconds before it was done Ella woke up and was starving. I knew she was because earlier she only nursed for a couple minutes before she went to sleep. I never get to eat dinner hot. I'm used to it.

I found 2 rugs in the garage on the 15th so we tried to figure out how to place them in the living room. They are easier for Ella to roll on than the hard floor. We also swapped the reading room chair with the chair and a half.

I was ready to go to bed at 8:30 when I got Ella to sleep. That was early for her. But I ended up watching a little of American Idol. Then Dave and I went into bed. He was reading but I talked him into tickling my back so then I stayed up a good hour while he was doing that.  I think I finally went to sleep around 10:30 PM.

I put Ella in some shoes she got from the baby shower. They are size 2 for 6-12 months and her feet barely fit in them.