My Diagnosis/ Surgery

Although I have already welcomed you to the eventful life of Angela. Let me welcome you again. Once again, I had to go to Urgent Care on Wednesday instead of school. I woke up with swollen tonsils with white spots on them. To know surprise, I had strep throat. Right away I went to the Rite Aid Pharmacy to get my antibiotics. As I was there waiting for my prescription, I called an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) doctor. All day at Urgent Care I had been pondering whether to take it to this next level or not. Nobody wants surgery, however the doctor at Urgent Care told me I needed to make an appointment with the ENT to discuss it.

Allie didn't like seeing my enlarged tonsils

Let me tell you, did that doctor scare me.... He came in the room after I had changed into my hospital gown. He checked my lungs, heart, and my throat. Of course, anything having to do with my throat area I get scared about because of my past Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cancer diagnosis. He told me I indeed had strep throat, my tonsils were very swollen, and so were my lymph nodes. He then proceeded to tell me to change back into my regular clothes and that he would be right back. ONE HOUR later after I already endured an anxiety attack, I stepped outside the room asking the nurses what was going on and where he was. When he came back into the room, he asked what was wrong because I was crying upset. I told him he had scared me when he mentioned my lymph nodes being enlarged because of my past diagnosis. Him not coming back in decent time made my thoughts wonder and made me think something was wrong. He apologized for taking so long and said they are probably enlarged just from being sick.

Today (last day of school before bring break) I went to the ENT. I was told that usually after this few instances of tonsillitis that they normally wouldn't perform surgery on them yet, however because of my Hodgkin's Lymphoma background I need a tonsillectomy. They mentioned that the tonsils are much like the lymph system in that they swell up when I'm sick. There you have it folks, I might be having surgery over spring break. If I do, at the moment I have no idea who is going to be able to take care of me. I'm honestly very worried but there's nothing I can do besides let life happen. Monday I should be able to find out when I can have surgery. Hopefully they can squeeze me in for Thursday or Friday that way I won't miss too much school. It's going to take a week to ten days to recover. All I know is I need this surgery done because I have been sick consistently this semester and my tonsils have been swelling up for over a year now. Hopefully after this surgery I won't get sick as much. Again, I'm very sorry that this is all I have been blogging about, but at least I know now why I keep getting sick.

The Top picture is Reagan and I, the bottom is me at Urgent Care supporting her.

There is no such thing as a "normal person", however I am different than a lot of college students. I'm a cancer survivor with not as strong as an immune system as everyone else. I do get sick easier and let me tell ya, college students are not very clean. I'm going to spend the rest of today cleaning that way I can come back to a clean place. I will be visiting my friend Nicole back where I used to live in Ventura this weekend. As for the rest of break, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I will keep you all informed if I do or don't get my surgery this upcoming week. I hope you all can at least enjoy your Spring Break!

Before I go, I'd also like to ask you all a favor. As I was waiting in Urgent Care on Wednesday, I found out my friend from my cancer organization/ camp "Special Love" has been put into hospice care. For those of you who don't know what that means, Reagan has cancer and the fight is becoming sadly too much to handle. Please send prayers/ good thoughts her way. I'm happy I was already wearing my SpeciaLove shirt to support her and give me strength while I was enduring my own health issues at Urgent Care Wednesday.

A few hours after I posted this, I just found out Reagan has become an angel. I wish the best of healing for her family. Reagan, you never lost that fight. I'll miss you.