word of the day: benign

After almost two weeks of waiting, I finally got word from my doctor: benign.

Once I knew I was in the clear, I thought it best to let folks know. Heaven forbid they should find out somehow and wonder why they had NOT been informed. I would have never heard the end of it! So, here is what I wrote:
"Just to let you know...
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I had surgery to remove a lesion on my vaginal wall. I suspect it was a ruptured cyst, but it had been there for several months and was not healing. Surgery, requiring me to be put under, was required, as the lesion was near my left urethra and the doctor wanted to make sure he didn't run into any complications.
The surgery was at 7 AM on the 21st and I was home before 11 AM.
My elder stepsister knows, because she was on duty at the hospital on the 20th when they were making the call to let me know the time of my surgery.
My bfe took me there, brought me home, and took general care of me - and custody of my car - until the 25th. He was amazing, pretty much leaving me alone to sleep and recover and making sure I didn't try to jump back into my busy schedule too quickly... which I certainly would have done.
Yesterday afternoon, I had the post-op check-up. Benign! Benign!!
Thank God.
Now to be patient while the wound finishes its healing.
I am so relieved!
Due to the sensitive nature of the location (i.e., interior vaginal wall), I didn't really want to talk about to everybody. I had not informed my eldest brother, my middle brother, and my first niece (my ICE) until the Sunday before the surgery (the 18th). My eldest brother and his wonderful wife, as well as my first niece, brought me Thanksgiving dinners and visited briefly, again allowing me time to recover from the anesthesia and surgery.
I only took pain meds for three days and never had the intense pain and cramping the doc had said I would, nor did I have heavy bleeding. Good!
So, I did want you to know, in case you might hear about it somewhere along the way."

Here are some of the responses I received. I truly am blessed to have such caring people in my life!

my SAR bf (who had a cancerous kidney removed about two months earlier) said:
"Y'know, you didn't need to have sympathy surgery to show that you care.....
Glad to hear that everything is, as my sister put it, "unremarkable".
Isn't anesthesia fun?
On my end, my MRI came back clean this week. Next thing is a CT scan in
March to monitor the suspicious location in my lung. So it looks as if
I'm clean for now. (Time for a victory dance....oh yeah, oh yeah...)
How long is your recovery time? Are you back in the swing of things yet?"
my reply:
"Victory dance is good!!
I'm glad this is the end of the term. Mostly, I'm grading Final Exams, so I'm on my butt and off the streets... mostly!
<3
Glad to hear all you are passing all of your tests with flying colors!
:D"

My copper friend proclaimed "Am verrrryyy happy for you!! Bestest news I've heard all month!!"

My first niece said:
"I take it you got the results from the cyst?
I love your word for the day then.
I love you."

The Canadienne wrote:
"whoopie Benigh is Awesome. Been saying quite a lot of prayers, nice to know they were answered..
Ok Time to Happy Dance xo nice pic too of the canteen lol. Now working at a local bar for only 8 hrs a week, looking for a second one too. HOpe you have a really wonderful Christmas too. My youngest daughter is coming to Windsor. Love to all! xox"
my reply to her:
"Happy dance all around! <3"

my melaness (the cystologist) said:
"omg girl that's scary!!! Usually those are benign unless you've had abnormal paps. Ill pray for you to have a quick recovery! NO SEX either!!!"
my reply was
"No sex???
That's what the doc said, too.
Not even with my toys.
Damn.
For at least three more weeks.
Damn!"
She nearly fell off her chair, laughing!

The ex, when I told him, said:
"I am so thankful that everything went well and that the biopsy was negative. Thank you for letting me know.
Pending vacation approval, I'll be driving down for Christmas, traveling December 21-22 and on December 31- January 1. I'll let you know more soon."
I told him:
"Please do let me know as your plans evolve.
I'll be away, but returning on the 23rd, with no plans for further travel.
I have NO idea what is going on for Christmas Eve this year... I have heard nothing about a family get-together."
(Turns out my eldest brother was to have passed the word to me... oops!)

my stepmom told me:
"and again, Thank God it was benign…
I am sorry you had a confining Thanksgiving.
Your bfe sounds like a really good guy…
Let me know when you can spend some time together…I can come to Savannah if that would be better..
No more surgeries …"
I say, I sure hope not! This isn't the first time I've had a little alien hanging out where it doesn't belong. I do hope it will be the LAST.

My paternal aunt put it into perspective:
"Needless to say I didn't know about your problem, so glad that it was not "BAD". My middle daughter's was of course. Had a complete hysterectomy. Has finished the kemo and radiation. Her hair is comming back in. We had Thanksgiving dinner there this year. She had just had her last radiation treatment the day before but I didn't know that, she was afraid we would not come if I knew that {probably right}. I am happy that things proved good for you. We love you."
Nothing like hearing the grass is NOT greener on the other side of the fence.
"Oh, my, I feel like such a wienie. I'm glad things are improving for Beverly... I had no idea. Thank you for letting me know."

This points out two important things.
1. Stay in touch more often.
2. Realize you are not the only one.