This morning I had a checkup to see how Tamara is progressing. When I went to the doctor in early May I was horrified when I was diagnosed with a baseball sized cyst on my right ovary. The doctor told me that physical activity had to be put on hold until it resolves. How long could it take to resolve? Months. Will the pain get better? Probably not. 

So here I am two months later. I haven’t lifted a barbell, worn my running shorts, or laced my sneakers in what seems like years. Driving to the doctor this morning I was incredibly nervous and excited. I was nervous that the cyst would still be huge and would require surgery. I was nervous that the cyst would be only slightly smaller and I would be told to wait another 3 months for it to shrink. The results? The cyst has shrunk to the size of a marble!! I am overjoyed and shocked! Since I can still feel it in my abdomen and it still hurts quite often, I figured it hadn’t shrunk much. Turns out that a hemorrhagic cyst, no matter how small, is going to cause discomfort, so that is why I am still in some pain. The good news? I am pretty sure that in another 30 days Tamara will be completely gone! 

I have not been completely cleared to start my favorite exercise routine again, but I can start getting back into things very slowly. My core building ab blasting class will have to wait a few more months, but I’m hoping to find my way back to the elliptical next week. My doctor says that as long as I don’t feel more pain than usual while exercising, it should be okay. 

I’m not getting my hopes up, after all I can feel my dang cyst throbbing a bit as I sit here and type this, but I am still optimistic. I am also thankful for my amazing doctor. The HORRIBLE experience I had with Dr. Ross a few weeks ago has definitely trumped by the amazing Dr. McCunniff.

Today Dr. McCunniff told me that he is really happy with the decision he made 2 months ago regarding my cyst. He said he was teetering on whether to surgically remove Tamara or to wait it out. He decided that because of my age, he wanted to wait it out. Had I gotten surgery two months ago I would have had my entire ovary removed and he wasn’t too keen on messing with my fertility just yet. The thought of it makes me shudder! 

I am so grateful for the wisdom of my doctor, the patience and comfort of my family and friends, and for the human body’s ability to heal itself. As Dr. McCunniff said today, “The good Lord made our bodies into powerful machines that often posses the ability to heal themselves if given the time.”