Welcome to your mid-thirties. Let your body slowly fall apart.
It all started November 2008 when I had a pimple that just wouldnt go away. I never get pimples but this one was festering on the edge of a raised white spot. I had that white spot as long as I can remember. My mom said she thought it was a chicken pox scar so that is what I went with. When I still had that annoying little red pimple in January I finally decided it was time to go to the dermatologist. I had visited the dermatologist yearly due to all the raised moles on my body. I would get yearly body scans and inevitably would end up getting a mole or two removed and biopsied ever year. The doc looked a little nervous as he checked this one out. He did a biopsy and sure enough I had finally heard that word CANCER. I didnt freak out. It was only basal cell cancer which means its a slow growing cancer that doesnt spread to the rest of your body. Come to find out that little white spot wasnt just a scar...it was cancer. Most exposure to skin cancer occurs before the age of 20. I estimate that cancer had been growing for about 10-15 years. After an ugly surgery all was good in the world (minus an huge scar on my face). That experience triggered me to stop ignoring the little things.
Next was the gastrointestinal issues. Embarrassing conversation but a very common concern. I had these issues before and was "diagnosed" with IBS. After moving to NH the symptoms had disappeared (probably b/c I had somewhat of a stress-free lifestyle compared to how I was living in MI). This time I got scared and went to the doc. I met with some specialists, did an informal elimination diet, and had a colonoscopy...IBS was the diagnosis. Its pretty much a BS diagnosis but there is not anything physically wrong which was good news because colon cancer and gastrointestinal diseases are in my family history. The other positive was I found out what foods I SHOULD avoid because my body has a slight intolerance to them. In the meantime I had banged up my thumb (and my knee) playing rugby and that took over a year to heal (and still bothers me every now and then).
Next was my breast cancer scare. I wasnt ever really scared but it was a process. I had a mamogram about 10 years ago b/c of a lump which ended up to be nothing but here I was having this problem again. Oh you have a lump in breast, but no maternal history? I do have history, paternal history. Oh that doesnt matter, why dont you jump through these 20 hoops before we can actually tell you that you dont have cancer! Super annoying and I had to miss work.
Then I was sick. I feel like I missed a million days of work this last year. Doc chalked it up to new strains of virus the kids are carrying. Since I do work with some snotty noses, it was inevitible I would get sick but 3 sinus infections in 4 months? Sinus surgery (and surgery to fix my deviated septum) was in my future and while I was on antibiotics prepping for a pre-surgery CT Scan I got really sick, bed ridden for an entire weekend. I was on antibiotics from Dec-April more than i was off. I had the surgery during spring break. Retired from rugby after my surgery-boo hiss. Between May and August I have had three throat infections-Pharyngitis, only one time was it strep. I feel like I still have sinus issues but doc says-its all good. So on to the next thing-allergies and immune system
In reality many of these "issues" have been with me all along. People have commented on how I sure do have a lot of things going on (health wise). I know I look like a hypochondriac but I dont want to risk not listening to my body anymore. I dont look for things wrong with me, they just happen. Better to deal with it now then when I am 80. Overall I am healthy and I recognize these are just growing pains and there are people who are worse off than I am!
Update-Got to the allergist and had my testing completed. Allergic to dust mites and cats. Since I have had my cat for 16+ years she is prob not the problem. Going to take the precautions to keep the dust mites at a minimum. An interesting twist is that the Allergist found a hear murmur. It was back to my PCP. He checked it out a week later. Its a common murmur found in women my age. Its not swishing and making noise so he says its all good for now. No worries. My orthodics are in, next its an appt. to pick them up and hopefully I get to stay away from that hospital (however, still waiting for the blood work results from Allergist).
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