Linking back to my July 2nd post- I was called by a nurse in Tan Tock Seng Hospital on 7th July to return to the hospital before the designated date of next appointment. I went back on Wednesday (9th) since it was my graduation day the next day. I don't know what to feel at that moment. I was alone at home. Since they pushed forward the appointment, something must be wrong. I was even told to bring my mum down together.
The needle biopsy test showed an atypical lymph node or something. It could just be a reactive lymph node or a possibly cancerous one. Reactive just means the lymph node is swelling due to reaction from nearby infections. I am safe if that's the case because it's only a natural body reaction to infections. But they aren't sure. The tissues taken out were not enough to determine a definite result. The option of going for a mini operation was given to me. They would take out the whole lump and examine from there to investigate the real cause. Without doing that, no one knows what is really going on inside.
Another senior doctor came in and suggested doing an ultrasound first. This is so as to determine the real size of the lump, whether there are others, and see if it is really necessary for the operation. Of course, I can directly opt for the operation. I chose to go for ultrasound first to see if there's any other weird things around my neck. They gave me a very early date for that and I did the ultrasound the next day. When I entered the room, I felt like a pregnant lady waiting to see my baby (Like I have always seen on tv) hahaha. The doctor put some gel on my neck and did her job. My neck was so strained after that because my upper back was arched up. The gel also got under my hair after the whole process, ew.
So today I went back with my mum to see the doctor again. For all the 3 times, I was seen by a different doctor. Today, the whole issue sort of changed. The ultrasound results seems to suggest that the swell is actually a thyroid nodule? It's all medical and hard to explain. But the overall result is still- nothing can be confirmed. A new addition (from the ultrasound) is that I need to check my thyroid too, but that can be done at a later date sigh. Back to the current issue, the doctor wanted to do another needle biopsy and ultrasound again to see if there's any changes. I'm quite pissed because I don't understand why must I do it again when I just did it. But then he told me he have discussed with other seniors and that I should take a wait-and-see approach because that risk is less than doing the operation. He does'nt want to put his patient in unnecessary risk.
Due to the shoulder nerve being near the node, there's a 10% risk of damaging the nerve. If that happens, I would lose my mobility of my right shoulders. Not sure of the extent of immobility that would be caused to my arm, but he said I would look lopsided, with the right shoulder drooping. Hais, why did they not tell me this that time? Upon hearing this risk, I'm also scared. At first, I just wanted to do the operation to get it over and done with, but now what.
I followed the doctor's instruction to do another needle biopsy to see if I can get better results this time. If it turns out positive, I don't have to do the operation. If it's bad, then the operation needs to be done. I think it could be the same results too. But the doctor said that every biopsy, depending on situation, can take out different/more tissues? I don't know.
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| Bruised |
The same procedures goes. He used a needle to poke. He did twice but only gotten blood out. I was just there trying to 忍痛. In the end, they decided to cancel the test since the lump is too small and nothing is coming out. I am supposed to monitor it and go back to the hospital in November for review. I believe I may need to do this needle thing again then.
So if it's the same uncertain kind of results, just what should I do? I will never know what's wrong. This uncertainty is a risk. So is the operation. I can only wish that it is just a reactive harmless one. Better still, please just disappear.
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