Family Matters

This is my family... minus Mac the cat... but you met him in the previous entry. We had our family portrait taken professionally just before Christmas. Other than the fact that I've put on a few extra kilos (which makes me look like a real matronly mother)... I think the portrait has turned out great.

I haven't shared this with many people because I didn't want to cause any worry... but I had a scare just before Christmas. They've found a dermoid tumour on my left ovary (the only one I've got left) and until just a few weeks ago, they didn't know if it was cancerous or not. The blood tests reveal that it's not. But it appears to be the same type of tumour that I had as a child... which means that there is a certain amount of urgency to have it removed before it becomes malignant or ruptures. Dermoid tumours contain hair and teeth and other bizarre things.

I have had a lot of time to wrap my head around it now and I have come to a pretty big decision. After much reflection and research and speaking to my doctors here and in Toronto - I have concluded that it is in my best interest to have a complete hysterectomy. It wasn't an easy decision but you know what? Having the girls in my life has really "completed me". I don't feel that losing my chances of having children naturally is the worst possible thing. I have my family now. I don't want a baby at this stage in my life. I have two beautiful girls and I don't want anything else. Thank God for them - as they have come to me at such a critical stage in my life. The decision would be gut wrenching if I was childless.

So on the 15th of February I will meet with my specialist here to hopefully get a surgical date. The healthcare system in New Zealand is similar to our healthcare in Canada. It can be very slow - unless you pay privately.