~ Sophie's Choice ~ This Halloween ~ Stand Up 2 Cysts!

Surprise Package from My New York Monster Pals ~ FrankenGeorge and JuJu d'witch!

This October was a super adventurous and spooky    month for Soph .......and it's not even because it's Halloween! It is because every year around this time, I am haunted by the scare-your-pants-off tradition known to the medical community as the "Well-Woman's Exam"  which includes the not-so-delightful boo boo exam, pap smear, and pelvic ultrasound. Honestly, this is not a practice that makes us ladies 'well', but we do them anyways.... 

Surprise "Boo" treats from a secret neighbor at my doorsteps!

This year, I switched to a new OB/Gyn. Last year my previous Ob/Gyn already hounded me about doing fibroid laproscopy, but there wasn't enough evidence. This year, my new Ob called me 4 days after my visit to let me know that my ovarian cysts are pretty big ( two of them ~5cm) and advised getting a CA125 blood test to rule out ovarian cancer and to consider laprascopy.

Caleb and Abbie got their Orange belts this month! I asked the
 kids/hubby for advice about possible laparascopy,
and both of the brave kids said, "Get the surgery mommy!"

So hence I began my journey to decide what to do with the 'treats' (or tricks?) inside my tummy. It has been only 2 weeks but I've got really good responses, advices and encouragements! Praise the Lord! Below is my letter of thanksgiving and prayer to all my beloved! God's grace and your love are sufficient for me, Thank you all (^_^)!

On Oct 17, 2011, at 5:12 PM, Sophie Tsai godluvu99@yahoo.com wrote on her email to beloved:

Hi Sweeties!

Thank you for being my wise counsel & prayer warriors the past week as I search within (literally and figuratively) to best handle the 4 'tangerines cysts' & 2 fundal fibroids in there. I've decided to 'Stand Up 2 Cysts' and cut them out! That's Soph's "Decision 2011"!

Reason: (1) Hemorrhagenic cysts have the potential to burst/rupture anytime, which will stain my carpets, make a mess, and force bystanders to rush me to the ER.

(2) The cysts may enlarge even more and we don't know whether the goodies inside are benign ...or.... not so benign . So if I leave them in there, come next October I will be emailing you ALL the SAME question AGAIN! Too scary and not a good Halloween trick! So let's go ahead and do it, and spare my beloved from extra google work & stress.

(3) I have nothing else better to do on Thanksgiving week this year, so I plan to sit/lie around all day and watch TV . Hopefully I can get the surgery early that week (~I've written up a 'battle plan' to bring to my OB about when/what/where/what method to remove my 6 "treats" inside ~).

Added Bonus: Keeping me home will save hubby $$$! No "Black Friday" shopping for me this year!

Also I've utilized my little "Sophie's Fleece" . I asked the Lord last Monday (when I didn't want the laparoscopy performed), that "Lord, if having the surgery is the better way to go, then let 75% of my counsel be to go ahead and do it". Astonishingly, of all the medical & friend community that gave definate yay/nay responses (either professionally or from experience), 95% said, "DO IT! We're behind you 100%!"

Although this is not the biggest decision in my life, as I've made that years ago ( To Receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and give my life for Him & His purposes ), it is indeed one that required a little more time, energy, and introspection than usual.

I am thankful this Thanksgiving season that I have All of you to go on life's roller coaster with (um...whether you wanted to or not ). Please take GOOD care of yourselves too and get check-ups regularly! You are special to me and may the Lord continue to bless and use you powerfully in the lives of your loved ones!

Hugs!

Soph

Sometimes we may not have all the answers,“But That's Okay ~ Because God DOES!” (Soph ~ 10/17/11)

Yummy Birthday Lunch for Sister Debbie!