Ham Are What??… Me and My Tumor

February 23rd, 2007 by Morgan J. Locke

So. I had minor surgery on Tuesday afternoon, to remove and biopsy a tumor growing against my chest wall (diagnosis: hamartoma–a benign lesion, 2.5×1.6×1.6 cm in size, consisting basically of normal but disorganized tissues). I wasn’t overly worried, since the needle biopsy done a few weeks ago came back negative. But it’s nice to have it confirmed.

I was confident I’d be back up and running by Friday. Man, was my confidence misplaced.

The pain from the incision is merely a dull, manageable ache at this point—I even quit the Vicodin last night. But I’m still trying to recover from the anesthesia. At least, I think that’s what it is. I have been sleeping quite a bit, but still if I let myself, I could go right back to bed and sleep more. (I’m resisting because I don’t want to end up awake at 3 in the morning.)

The anesthesia they used was only a sedative, not a general, but it really knocked me out. I was tasting the medication in my exhalations for 12 hours or more. Yesterday I had a bad bout of nausea, and lingering effects continue today.

So, for the squeamish, ‘scuse the bio-speak, but I wasn’t up to much more than this meager recounting of my experience…

Have a great weekend, y’all.

Posted in Daily Life, Morgan | 10 Comments »

10 Responses

1. Rory Harper Says:
   February 23rd, 2007 at 9:19 pm

   Oooh. Get better, Morgan!

   Your mistake was discontinuing the Vicodin and not getting a refill, of course….

   I honestly don’t think it’s age-related, but I also am shocked at how long it’s taking me to bounce back.

   I think we’re not used to being that knocked down, and, after seeing way too much violent cinema and tv, where people get smashed in the head and hten are running around jumping ouf of helicopters 15 minutes later, we don’t have a realistic concept of just what fragile, easily-unbalanced beings we are, when faced with real physical trauma.

2. Bradley Denton Says:
   February 23rd, 2007 at 9:22 pm

   Morgan, I’m so sorry to hear you had to go through that, and that you’re still suffering the aftereffects . . . but so glad to hear that you’re gonna be okay. Get real better real soon.

3. Morgan J. Locke Says:
   February 23rd, 2007 at 9:26 pm

   Thanks, dudes. Bradley, I’m definitely on the mend, but appreciate the positive vibes.

   Ironically, Rory, as soon as I said that about the Vicodin, I started having shooting pains, and went and took one. Ah, well. Diga si a las drogas.

4. Maureen McQ Says:
   February 23rd, 2007 at 10:29 pm

   The problem with good drugs is the hangover. And yeah, minor dentistry makes me a little wonky for a day or two, what is it with that Jack Bauer guy (for example) and his ability to take punishment?

5. Morgan J. Locke Says:
   February 23rd, 2007 at 10:31 pm

   So true. We’re a good deal more fragile (and in some ways, tougher) than advertising suggests.

6. Madeleine Robins Says:
   February 24th, 2007 at 3:08 am

   1) Glad the tumor was benign (which brings to mind the image of a slightly dotty professorial type in a tweed jacket with leather elbow patches, carrying a pipe he never lights).

   2) Everyone reacts differently to anesthesia. What makes it tricky is that everyone reacts differently to different sorts of anesthesia, and the reactions can change with age (though, of course, Morgan, you are eternally youthful). When I had the amnio when I was pregnant with Sarcasm Girl, I was totally knocked out for 18 hours afterward. The whole procedure took half an hour but left me utterly wasted.

   Rest is good. Make your near and dear pamper you excessively.

7. Caroline Spector Says:
   February 24th, 2007 at 10:30 am

   Morgan,

   I’ve always thought that the anethesia was far worse than the actually surgery. My experience was eight hours of puking until they wanted to put me back in the hospital. They can give you anti-nausea stuff prior to, but it didn’t work for me.

   Glad your prognosis is good and that the tumor was benign.

   And if you start looking too healthy and need some more TLC, some violet powder will pale you up in no time.

8. Erin O'Brien Says:
   February 24th, 2007 at 11:49 am

   Have a whiskey and go back to bed. And good riddance to your Ham-o-rama.

9. Morgan J. Locke Says:
   February 24th, 2007 at 12:39 pm

   Thanks, all. Yep, good old Ham Artoma and me, we had to part ways. I am definitely laying off the Vicodin today; it makes me stoopid.

10. Morgan J. Locke Says:
    February 24th, 2007 at 12:45 pm

    (whiskey, otoh, seems a fine idea)