As of today (Tuesday) I still have not heard from the doctor who ordered the MRI for my ankle. I did leave her a message on Friday asking when I might hear her interpretation of the results of the MRI, but I have not received an answer. I appreciated the voices of concern and prayer from those who had read last week’s bulletin. I discovered there are those who are much more impatient than me who think I should have had the results within 24 hours of the test. A couple were more than willing to refer me to other doctors who would be more responsive to my issues. I actually began to relax and stop thinking about my ankle issues after I had the MRI. I have done all I can until I hear the results and am given instructions as to my next steps.
My other distraction of the moment is the “genetic gift” given to me by my parentage. Over the past twenty years I have had both hips and knees replaced due to osteoarthritis. Now my shoulders are indicating the same issues as those joints. There is no cartilage left in either shoulder, and I am finding it to be a growing difficulty to raise my right arm above my head. You may notice the Gospel book is placed closer to the edge of the altar as we begin Mass and that is because I cannot reach to the middle of the altar any more. I have had cortisone put in both shoulders with little result so I have begun a discussion with a surgeon about shoulder replacement surgery. By the end of this week I will have had a C-T scan of the right shoulder to prepare for that inevitability.
I am not sure when any surgery (either ankle or shoulder) will take place. I want you to be aware of what is going on with me so that you will keep my health concerns in your prayers (just as many of you ask me to pray for you in your health events). As I know what is going on I will continue to let you know. Thanks for your words of concern, your prayers and your advice. It lets me know that I truly am a member of this family.
An update from my doctor Tuesday afternoon:
Good news, the radiologist read your MRI as a ganglion. I looked at it myself & had a few colleagues do so; they felt it was a ganglion as well. It looks like it is coming from your ankle joint, where the lateral ligaments are disrupted, and this is allowing ankle joint fluid to form the cyst. “I know you had the peroneal tendons repaired, I can't remember if you told me the lateral ligaments were repaired as well. I am happy to attempt aspiration in clinic as we discussed. I would send the contents to be evaluated for crystals (gout), and for pathology to give us a definitive diagnosis of "ganglion cyst". I can also review the MRI images with you in person if you choose. We can talk about options if the cyst recurs after aspiration as well.”
It is nice to know some next steps and to know that my doctor’s suspicions were just that. Keep praying.
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