Ladybug

Last week, I had a transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound that showed “a simple cystic structure … seen to the right of the urethra in the area of the patient’s discomfort.” It is .9 cm at its largest and .4 cm at its smallest.

In March, I saw my fantastic gynecologist Dr. Alison Dick. I completely trust this doctor and yes-her name is really Dr. Dick. She is the doctor who diagnosed and treated my cervical cancer. I told her about symptoms I had been having. She examined me and surmised that I had something called a urethral diverticulum. Dr. Dick referred me to urology.

If you feel uncomfortable reading about urine, my bladder, and catheters, you should stop reading now. Check out this video of my cat instead!

Just about two weeks after I saw Dr. Dick, I was seen by a nurse practitioner in urology. She examined me and came to the same conclusion as Dr. Dick: a urethral diverticulum, which is a small pouch or shelf. Urine is, most likely, getting trapped in this diverticulum and it does not feel good. On occasion, I also enjoy urinary incontinence!

The nurse practitioner ordered an MRI and a consultation with a surgeon. I was hopeful that I could get the MRI done before my kneecap replacement/MPFL reconstruction, but that was not in the cards. My health insurance denied the MRI and said that a transvaginal ultrasound would suffice.

Maybe it’s just me, but a transvaginal ultrasound did not sound like fun. When you add in my inability to bend my post-surgical knee, I was anxious about the ultrasound and the visit to the urologist. But the women in ultrasound at Lahey and the urologist, Dr. Lara MacLachlan, could not have been more accommodating and helpful!

Luckily, the ultrasound technician was able to locate the suspected diverticulum without the dreaded transvaginal part. Dr. MacLachlan addressed my Ehlers-Danlos syndrome right off the bat and made me feel comfortable and understood. We have a game plan and will act quickly, yet throughly, to rule out cancer. The next step … an MRI. Yes, the MRI that my health insurance denied in March, is now scheduled for June.

The MRI will give the surgeon a better idea of what the cystic structure is and, hopefully, rule out cancer. Right now, the cyst is the size of a ladybug. After the MRI, I will have to decide if I want to live with the diverticulum and risk infection (along with the pain and other symptoms) or have surgery to remove it.

At first, I was like, “Get it out of me!” – just like when I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. But then the urologist told me about what to expect after the surgery: one night in the hospital (Okay-I can do that, but UGH-anesthesia makes me vomit forever!) and AT LEAST TEN DAYS WITH A CATHETER. I would have a bag I’d carry around for my urine.

I’m such a pussy, because I just hate catheters. Maybe I’ve had this diverticulum my whole life and that’s why catheters make me so uncomfortable? After my hysterectomy I was like, “I need this catheter out. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts!” But then it turned out that there was a kink in the tube and the urine was backing up into me.

This medical junk is wicked annoying. But I’m fortunate to have health insurance as well as supportive friends, family, and coworkers.