Tumor, tumor go away

When I go to my doctor, even for routine check-ups, I often wonder if she’s going to find something horribly wrong with me. Like maybe the freckle on my arm isn’t just a freckle; it’s a cancerous mole (it wasn’t). Or my twitching eye means I’m losing muscle strength (simply need more sleep). Or the new yellow tint in the corner of my eye means I’m going bind (nope, just a pinguecula). I don’t worry or obsess – I just prepare myself for the possibility that something might be up. I think that kind of crazy stuff about myself. I never project it onto other folks.

So when my friend Traci was going in for some routine tests to figure out a sinus problem, the thought that something else would be wrong never registered. Something’s wrong with her nose, they’ll find it, they’ll fix it, and that’s that.

Not quite. Instead of figuring out the sinus issue, one of the tests revealed a tumor. On her brain.

So. She had more tests run, went for a second opinion, had even more tests and doctors concluded it’s not cancer but it is a tumor. On her brain. Which, by the way, isn’t exactly good. But it isn’t exactly bad, either, as long as it isn’t growing.

Traci got this news back in June and at that time the decision was made to monitor the tumor. If it grows, it has to come out. If not, it can stay. So all summer Traci’s been walking around knowing she has a tumor. On her brain.

All that to say, today is Follow-Up Test Day. Traci is having her head checked this afternoon. After her MRI she’ll meet with her neurosurgeon for the results. If you’re the praying type, I hope you’ll join me in praying for my sweet friend – prayers that the tumor would not have grown and prayers that she handles the MRI well would be greatly appreciated.

I’m also going to hope she handles me posting this well… I'm all about asking forgiveness instead of permission, especially in this case.  And that won't come as a surprise to her at all!


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