Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Like a Hole in the Head


I tried to sit there calmly in the Neurologists office as he placed the films from the MRI up on the x-ray light board. At first the scans looked normal. Salami-like slices from the top of my head down to the base of my neck filled each page of the films, then just below my left eye it began to appear. The foreign invader came clearly in to view and upon it’s zenith on the scans appeared to be as large as my left eye.

I didn’t have any thoughts and the only sound that I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat in my ears.

“Do you have any problems with your sinuses,” Dr. Patel asked in a thick Hindi accent.

“I guess I do now,” I replied.

He went on to say that he did not think that the growth that was completely blocking my sinus cavity was cancerous and that in his experience that he thought that it was a cyst.

“Very common,” according to the doctor.

I knew something was wrong several months ago when I started to develop vision problems in my left eye. I can now clearly see why.

No need to fear. All should be okay. A simple outpatient surgery should do the trick. The surgeons should be able to remove the growth through the nose or by breaking a hole in the palette of my mouth. At this point it’s more of an inconvenience than anything.

I’m just annoyed that it could interrupt with my school and marathon training schedule.

I’m alive, fine and know that everything is going to be okay. I've got a lot to be thankful for.

2 comments:

Yarnartist said...

Edward, I was so excited to see you had finally posted in your blog, but after reading it, I am sorry it is there.
I had no idea you were having problems, and hope this will be the least of inconveniences for you.
We'll all be holding good thoughts for you.
Your SIL, Ellene

Mr. Middlebrow said...

Okay, so it iz ah tu-mah. [/arnie].

Your paratrooper stoicism is admirable.

Glad it's apparently benign. Hope it doesn't throw too much of a wrench into your marathoning. Maybe your CV capacity will improve?

Happy new year, man.