I'm freaking out a little bit! I don't know if anyone remembers, but many months ago I posted about a lump that I have in my neck. Everyone urged me to get it looked at. I finally followed through and just returned from seeing the ENT. He is the 3rd doctor to look at it. The previous 2 said it felt like "a good lump" rather than a "bad" one.
So now, after seeing the ENT, I'm having it removed. I don't have the date yet (hopefully soon), his secretary is supposed to call me in a day or so with the details. I have to go "up north" to a bigger hospital to have it done. They have more specialtists there and it's just a better facility all around.
The doctor today didn't really give me any reassurance on it being "a good lump". He said it is somewhat moveable, which is good, but he was quick to follow with the fact that sometimes even moveable lumps can be bad. He basically just wants to get it out and get it tested. He didn't seem overly concerned about it, but I'm still scared. Something that did calm me a *little* is that he said..."well, we have a few options, we can just leave it be since it hasn't really changed in size, or we can biopsy or we can remove it and have it tested for your peace of mind, that way if it is something we can get it taken care of, and if it's nothing, then I can forget about it." (not a direct quote, obviously, but you KWIM)
I've never been under anesthesia before....ever! If anyone else has, I'd love to hear your tips and experiences.....please!!!! Of course I'm afraid of not waking up from it. I'm afraid to go under. He said they try to open up the neck in one of the "neck lines" so that it isn't as noticeable after it heals. I'm not stressing the scarring at all, just the lump itself.
I really hope it's nothing, but in the back of my head I know if could be really serious. I've had the lump for several years now, and it hasn't really grown at all. I just want to get it out and face the facts (hopefully good facts) and get on with my life. So I'm pretty much scared spitless. I don't want to leave my kids, especially not for this.
Thanks for letting me share.

By Melanie on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 04:48 pm:

((((HUGS)))) It's probably nothing. But it's good to know for sure. Ignoring it won't make it go away. You are doing the right thing.

Don't worry about the anesthesia. They will monitor you very closely. It's very different now from what it used to be. They can detect and fix any problems they may arise immediately. You will be fine.

Hugs and prayers are coming your way. Keep us posted.

By Mrsclark on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 04:53 pm:

A few years back I started having trouble swallowing and it was so slow growing my son and I did not notice, but my throat in the front was getting huge! Finally I went in and found out it was a thyroid ganglion cyst (and there's another word I'm forgetting) but when you are born your thyroid is up high and moves on down where it is now, and it leaves a "tail" so to speak and most people that just goes away as a baby (child) but in rare cases (like me) it doesn't and it grew and became a cyst. They didnt' know if it was cancer, benign or whatever but knew it had to be removed. This was done by several specialist because it was long and all down my throat and entangled with my vocal cords, nerves, etc., etc. I was worried but when they finally put me to sleep, I was talking to the doctor and he said just count and I don't think I even started and the next thing I know I woke up in the recovery room! Yep, I was sore, but hey...it really was easy. You are worried but once they say here goes...you are out! And you know NOTHING until you wake up and it's all over with. So I had this tube sticking out of my neck and all wrapped up and looked like a gray ghost, etc. and my mother brings my son (about 11 then) in not knowing how I looked...poor little man. He later said he was so scared when he saw me but took it like a little man. I felt so bad, so did my mom, we had no idea. He made me pictures and they bought me something, etc. Then I was released in a day or so and sore throat but no cancer and all is well. :-) That's my story. It's a scary thought, but it is honestly over in a second (as far as you know!)

By Mrsclark on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 04:55 pm:

The doctor even said there was a chance I could lose my voice (if they made a mistake is what he meant!) Scared me but I think made others think hey, she talks too much! :-) HA HA HA But they didn't get their way...and I still talk a lot!

By Marg on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 06:22 pm:

((((Robin))))

You know I think about you everyday!

I'm praying and God will take care of you, your family and this!

I had my tonsils out when I was 5/6. And I had the ligaments replaced in my leg over two years ago.

It is very cold in the operating room and they placed warm blankets on me. Dh was with me up unto they wheeled me in. And at that point, I was scared, I almost sat up and said forget this. But I knew God would bring me through it and he did. I was on the operating table 1 hour and 45 minutes. When I woke up, it hurt because of the ligament replacement. Mine was day surgery, so when I woke up and got dressed they sent me home to dh. The anesthesia didn't affect me at all.

You'll do well and post when this is being done so we may pray for you at that time. Power of prayer.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 06:34 pm:

First, when your ENT said that sometimes even moveable lumps can be bad, he was (1) giving you accurate information and (2) covering his butt. Given the rules about making the patient fully informed, the doctor has to cover every possibility no matter how remote. If he had told you that it was a harmless lump and the 1 in how many chances happened and it wasn't harmless, you'd be furious and rightly so. I agree, it is scary when they say things like that. I went to my ENT for vertigo and the first thing he had me do was go for an MRI to "rule out" the possibility of a benign brain tumor. For the four weeks between that office visit and the followup visit when he reported that the scan was entirely negative I was a total wreck. I had the same terrifying anxiety waiting for the pathology report on a lump removed from my breast which by all odds was a totally benign fatty cell cyst. I know, working in a law office, that the doctors have to (a) give you all the information, even the 1 in a million things, and (b) if they don't give you full information that could leave them vulnerable to lawsuits if things turn out badly. It's called being fully informed (even though there are some things I'd rather not know if I don't have to).

As for the anesthesia - yes, there is always a risk with anesthesia. However, you are talking about a lump in your neck, which is easy to reach and should be managed fairly quickly as surgery goes. As for "going under", the anesthetist will talk with you at some point before beginning. Most probably they will put in an IV, and the anesthesia will be done by IV. You will just drop off to sleep and won't really know when. When you wake up you will feel groggy, maybe a bit dizzy, and probably have some pain in the surgical area. You may feel a bit nauseous. You will be in the recovery room with nurses who are very experienced in taking care of people coming out of anesthesia, and they will make sure you are fully recovered before they take you out of the recovery room.

Probably, given the relatively simple nature of this surgery, you will be allowed to dress and be taken home within a few hours after you leave the recovery room. What's important then is to not think you are totally normal when you get home. Give your body and mind some slack time to fully recover, and be careful to follow any instructions about drinking and eating, especially to not eat anything heavy for several hours.

I personally think you are wise to have this done, so that you will have certainty and not have any more worry about the lump. I think it is good that the doctor wants you to have this done at a larger (and presumably better equipped) hospital - that shows s/he is being careful. Keep us posted on how things go.

By Trisa on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 06:38 pm:

Robin I can understand you being a little
scared. You are in my prayers. I had a lump
removed from my upper back in Oct but I was able to stay awake and was given 12 shots to numb the area. The nurse in the room was sooo very sweet. She even rubbed my head when he was giving me the shots. My lump turned out to be an infected lymph
node. Thank God is was not cancer. I have another lump in the same place I just found a few days ago. Here we go again...

By Luvn29 on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 08:34 pm:

I have been put under anesthesia so many times, and I still am not used to it or "okay" with it, but I do have a few hopefully useful words of advice.

My first time was when I was 18. I had a lump removed from my breast. I was terrified, and went under while having very nervous thoughts and being terribly upset. I woke up from the anesthesia in complete turmoil. I was crying uncontrollably and was almost hyperventalating. They told my mother and husband (who wasn't yet then) that they were going to have to put me back under if I didn't settle down.

Point to this story. The reason I woke up so crazy like was because of the emotions I had when going to sleep. I was completely nervous and didn't get myself calmed down before going under. So I woke up stressed out, also. This isn't always the case, but it can be. I am always nervous, but I am a very spiritual person, so I always pray and think very relaxing thoughts and place myself in the hands of God while I am laying there getting ready to go under. Breathe calmly and relax. And just remember that as soon as you get the anesthesia, you are going to go to sleep and you will be completely fine while under the anesthesia. Just think of it like you are getting a much needed nap without being disturbed. Hehe! Just do whatever you have to to be calm...count, meditate, pray, think of happy thoughts...

Second, don't focus on the bad stuff they tell you. They have to give you the facts. I get so nervous because I have severe allergies happen all the time for no reason because of my illness. I never had an allergy till I got sick a few years ago with this autoimmune thing. Now I end up allergic to everything. Most people aren't like that, and even though I am, I still have no problems with anesthesia, Few people do, and those that do have excellent chances of being fine anyways. The drs. are all prepared for these things, and the anesthesiologist stays with you the entire time.

Next, more than likely they will put a tube down your throat after you are asleep for breathing while under. Typically, this is removed before you wake enough to realize it is there. I woke up once enough to realize it was there and panicked because there was something down my throat! If this happens, try not to panic because they will take it out immediately. Someone is watching you every second while you are "coming to".

My biggest piece of advice is to just relax, and not to let things bother you too much. Easier said than done. But know that worrying is natural and normal and it is okay to do it. Just reassure yurself that things will be okay.

You are in wonderful and capable hands.

Sorry this was so long, but hope it helps you. (By the way, I have been under over 7 times that I can think of right now and am only 24. and I'm still kickin'! hehe! )

By Luvn29 on Tuesday, February 3, 2004 - 08:37 pm:

Oh yeah forgot one important thing! You think in a post as long as mine above, I'd have said everything I know about it, wouldn't you!

The majority of times, you will fall asleep almost immediately after getting the medication. You will wake up feeling like you had never been asleep and thinking, oh no, they haven't done it yet. They have!!!

If you feel at all nauseaus while you are waking up TELL THE NURSE!!! They can give you something immediately and help any nausea that you may get from the anesthesia. A lot of people have no problems with this. I sometimes do, sometimes don't, but I learned the hard way to tell them right away because it is more easily taken care of the sooner you tell them and you DON'T want to be throwing up right after having that done.

By Mommyathome on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 - 10:24 am:

Thanks everyone. Even though I know it could be *something* I really really like to hear that it's probably nothing. That makes me a bit more calm lol.
I appreciate everyones thoughts and prayers
Thanks for sharing experiences as well.

By Mommyathome on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 - 05:04 pm:

Just a bit of an update. The surgery is scheduled for Tuesday morning. AAAHHHH!

By Karen~moderator on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 - 08:21 pm:

Robin, don't you feel a *little* bit better, first - knowing it's scheduled, and second - that it's scheduled as soon as it is - instead of waiting weeks or months to find out. I had a lump under my right arm 10 - 12 years ago. It would swell sometimes and hurt so much. I kept putting off going to the doctor. Finally, I saw someone and he did the same thing your doc is doing, pretty much laying out all the possibilities, to do exactly as Ginny posted above, cover his butt, and make you informed. This was 8 years ago, I went in, original for a biopsy of it, but they removed the entire thing (It was then the size of a small egg); I went home with a drain in the incision under my arm, worried for a few days about the results, and then found out it was one of those *fatty tumors*. Try to keep your worrying to a minimum. I know that's easy to say, and harder to do, but try not to keep yourself upset over it. I'll be thinking of you. {{{{{{hugs}}}}}}

By Mommyathome on Wednesday, February 4, 2004 - 09:23 pm:

Thanks Karen. Yes, I must say I feel quite a bit of relief just knowing that it is going to be taken care of. Tonight I'm feeling pretty calm about the whole surgical procedure. Still a little nervous, but less scared. Now, I'm starting to worry about the results. They said it should only take a couple of days. Those days will seem like years I'm sure. I'm trying to stay calm, and so far I'm doing pretty well at it. Coming to momsview definitely helps with that.