Hello, Helen, and all,

Thank you very much for your kind, thoughtful and supportive response to my introduction. It has been a long and busy week, so I am finally able to write back. I first heard from my gynecologist a week ago today that my biopsy showed a polyp with adenocarcenoma FIGO grade 1, with diffuse hyperplasia of the endometrium. I have a family history of at least two sisters having had this diagnosis, one of whom died in July, six years after her hysterectomy. My mother died of leiomyosarcoma when I was 29. It does not feel safe to wait a long time to schedule the hysterectomy. My GYN made referrals to two hospitals close to me last week. I did not hear from either one until today, where the earliest they can get me in for a consult is 2/27. I called the other and learned that my referral had been received, but the paperwork has not yet made it into the pile of cases to be assigned for review and assignment to a surgeon. So I will wait another weekend for a response from them.

Luckily, after reading here last weekend, I decided to take a chance and ask for an appt at Mayo Rochester. THEY were the first to call me back. I now have a consult on 2/6 with Dr. Mariani. Mayo feels SO much better prepared to address my needs for prompt care than the two local hospitals at this point...again, I am grateful to this group for the information that inspired me to call here.

To answer your questions about support, first, thank you! I am a trauma therapist, myself, and have a colleague with whom I have traded sessions. She made herself available to me first thing Monday morning and I came away with a dramatically improved emotional mindset, able to stay present to the cues of safety and opportunities for connection in each moment. I was and am super grateful.

I am doing my best to prepare myself for alerting my clients that I will need to turn toward my own self-care for a while in the near future. In this current peri-pandemic era, the level of need is SO great and finding alternatives for therapy for those folks is no easy task. But, today I sent out an email to a community list of therapists and was relieved to hear back from a few folks that they have openings. I am hopeful on that score, as caring for myself will be MUCH easier to the degree that my clients are in good hands.

By last night (after scheduling the Mayo appointment), I was anxious again...reading Nature Girl's posting about her experience of her hysterectomy at Mayo while living at a distance was VERY helpful! Thank you!!!! I believe we will need to fly and hearing that staying in the area for two days to allow the abdominal gas to dissipate makes me feel more confident that I can fly home afterward without too much discomfort (had a nightmare about being kicked off the flight for screaming in pain during turbulence...!!!) . It is also very helpful to hear that surgery was scheduled relatively soon after the consult. That gives me hope that I am not giving whatever this is a chance to metastasize beyond my uterus before I can get it out, as I imagine may have happened for my sister.

I am waiting to have a plan before I alert my daughter. The less uncertainty I introduce to the situation seems better for her. I can also give her choice regarding what she is up to hearing at each moment and focus on listening to her feelings, needs and questions. The more I have processed at least some of my own emotional reactions beforehand, the better I imagine I will respond to however she reacts. Again, I am grateful for the support offered to me in words and hugs!

One other question I have is about preparing to travel to Mayo for surgery. I see that there is a travel agency connected to Mayo. My husband wanted to arrange the flights (so we'd get to cash in points) but I would be interested in learning lodging options. I have food allergies, so would prefer something with a kitchenette or an Airbnb, etc. Or, am I not going to be hungry, so it's a moot point? Is it possible to use the travel agency for questions without going through them to book flights or lodging?

I can't believe I'm arranging medical travel for myself, but everything I read makes me feel safer here than waiting a longtime to receive treatment locally. Maybe there are things for us to look for on the way there (doubt I'll feel like it on the way back to Minneapolis)? I've never been to Minnesota!

Again, with gratitude for this opportunity to learn and receive support...

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