BrokenArts on 29/9/2007 at 15:34

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I wanted to share with you, a little hellish story. A situation I just went through, that basically scared the shit right out of me, and I had my life flash before my eyes.

The Thursday before Labor Weekend, this all started at the end of August. I discovered a lump on my right bicep. O_O WTF is this? Then labor day weekend hit. I started to worry. Tuesday morning, after the holiday, I discovered another lump, my lymph node under my arm pit, same side as the lump on my arm, they were less than 6 inches apart. I freaked at the lymph node swelling.

I went to my regular GP doctor, he ordered a mammogram, he wasn't so concerned about the lump on my arm, as the node swelling. I couldn't get in for two weeks, oh great. Fine.

I also told him, I was fostering two kittens, they were strays, could it be cat scratch fever, or some sort of infection? I asked him. Ohhh noooo, he said. The lump could be a form of sarcoma, cancer. You think the worst, he was thinking the worst. Doom and gloom. My life turned upside down.

While waiting those two weeks, the lump on my arm went from a pea size to slightly smaller than a ping pong ball size. SHIT.
I went back to the doctor. He ordered I see a surgeon, ASAP, and ordered an MRI. I cannot afford an MRI, I don't have insurance, at least not yet. I am about to be hired full time, with a design firm, and will get insurance then, timing was oooh so grand on this. (Yes, I am still doing BA)

During that time, I felt like crap, everything was a struggle, he put me on an antibiotic, it didn't touch it, didn't do a thing. The spot on my arm, looked red at times, my lymph node hurt, off and on. I was miserable.

About a week, and a half ago, a customer called, I was feeling pretty low, she asked how I was doing. I was evasive, and said I could be doing better, I just didn't feel good. She pushed and asked how I was doing again, she knew I had just gone through a divorce. I was doing everything myself.

After that, I swear there is a god. I told her what was going on.
"Do you have any family here?" No I told her. Ohhh girl, you need help!" she said. (I hate to ask for help, I really do.)

She ended up calling her internist doctor, an internal wellness doctor. I was able to get in to see him, "free of charge". I really didn't think much would happen with it. I didn't know what to say.
I was floored she would do that for me. I am just paying it forward she said. I told her thank you, and called and made an appointment.

I dreaded seeing him, but, I was not about to turn down a 2nd opinion on this.

He sat down with me, and we talked about what was going on. Again, I brought up that I was fostering two kittens, could it be some sort of an infection, possibly cat scratch? I am no doctor, I replied. I have been scratched by these kittens. "Aahhh
that is a possibility" he said. It usually effects more than one lymph node though. He listened to what I had to say.

The doctor looked at what was going on, its not a tumor, the way it's sitting, right on top of the muscle, it does not suggest a tumor. THANK GOD.

I've done some reading on my own, Kittens are 40% more likely to be the carriers of cat scratch fever, its more prevalent during the spring and fall, an overall ill feeling, and it effects the lymph nodes. Uhuh. Why the lump on my arm, who knows for sure.
Just a reaction. Blood work came back normal, they don't test for everything though.

He put me on Doxycycline, a member of the tetracycline family.
THAT made a difference, the lump on my arm is shrinking, the lymph node hasn't bothered me anymore. I am feeling better everyday, and more like myself again. This has been a hellish month, I still have to watch it, and I am. Things are definitely improving, and the medicine is doing it's thing for me. THANK GOD. I've had an infection for a month, during that time, I caught a cold, and a stomach virus, yeah, I've been just peachy.

Moral of the story, "Do not under estimate the power of a tiny scratch." I am more cautious now dealing with strays, you never know. Get a 2nd opinion too, can't hurt.

Thief13x on 29/9/2007 at 18:49

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Wow, BA I'm glad to hear it's better now. My younger sister had a suspicious mole on her arm sampled a few years back and the results were melenoma skin cancer (most deadliest form of cancer) in its infancy. Ever since then she gets checked out once a month, but I started researching melenoma because they said that if one sibling has it, they all have an equal chance of contracting it.

I had a birthmark on my arm since I was young that fit the visual bill exactly of melenoma (1/2 inch in diameter, rough edges, varying colours, etc) and I got it removed. I was so convinced I had melenoma from searching on the internet, and it came back benign. Moral of the story - don't let the internet scare you. Glad ur okay BA, keep us posted

Tim

ercles on 29/9/2007 at 23:59

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Alternately, just be happy you got some medical advice that solved the problem, and you're on the mend. Nothing is more upsetting then being sick and not being able to do anything about it.

SubJeff on 30/9/2007 at 00:56

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Sounds like your regular doctor didn't do anything wrong though :confused:

Glad you're getting better!

BrokenArts on 30/9/2007 at 01:44

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He tried, but, he also didn't listen to what I was saying, along with the misdiagnoses. Yeah, you could say, I was a bit irked about it. Thank god for the 2nd opinion.

TY for the well wishes. :)