Reporting in...in Tears...

On April 29, I had a follow up appointment at Dr. Cook's office before I left for the long drive home.  While I was there I was blessed to be able to receive my copy of the Operative Report and the Pathology Report.

This was a truly moving event.  Yes, I cried!  I had received photos of how awful the state of my insides were, and this was very validating.  But receiving a description of the detail of all of my surgery and the best part of all, the results of all the tests done on the bits and pieces they removed from my body --- the pathology report.  Tears of relief and tears of joy were enjoyed and celebrated with a cake pop!

I had been warned that the pathology might not show the whole picture because the pathologists don't test every speck of sample they receive.  They test one part of each piece.  If the disease was next to that part, it would not be noted on the pathology.  So we were unsure that endometriosis, and adenomyosis with leiomyomas would be proven.

The pathology report showed the extensive endometiosis, the extent of the adenomyosis and that I did have leiomyomas!  There was no doubt, there was the proof!  This was not in my head.... I truly had disease!!  Now I am not rejoicing in this disease... but when you are faced with what you know to be true, and you are told by professionals that you are wrong and can't be helped, there is much relief and rejoicing that is done.
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These are some of the things that Kaiser Dr.'s told me prior to surgery:

I don't have Stage IV Endo - Dr. M
I do have Stage IV Endo, and my entire abdomen is "cemented" in place - Dr. G
If I tried to have the Endo completely removed I would end up in a colostomy bag - Dr. G / Dr. M
"One Dr.'s cement is not another Dr. cement" Dr. M commenting on Dr. G's cement comment.
I don't need surgery, I just need physical therapy - Dr. M
My only options are more hormonal treatments and pain meds - Dr. G
We will wait until I have a bowel blockage before we deal with the extent of the disease - Dr. G
The non Kaiser surgeon (referring to Dr. Cook) would lie to me to get my money and falsify my results - Dr. M and Dr. G
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Now I had gone through the dreaded surgery that would supposedly leave me incapacitated and I had seen pictures that I truly was diseased and needed help - - and now I had proof in writing that it actually was tested and proved to be the actual disease and surgery a necessary step to health.  You can only imagine how happy I was to finally have this all proven.  I was not crazy... I was not making up my pain... It was all real!  I am not some crazy person that thinks she knows more than doctors with years of training (well, that kind of fits me), I am not some crazy lady that wants a radical surgery...  It was all real!!