05/20/2023
PSA
WARNING: very long post.
It’s been a little bit since I’ve posted. I had a recent health scare. For two months I have felt like there was something stuck in my throat. I’ve had Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease off and on since I was a kid. It’s occurrence is usually based on my stress level and how well I’m taking care of myself at that point in time.
Because of this I was concerned that the lump in my throat was scar tissue or cancer.
Two weeks ago I went to an ENT. I told him about my history and symptoms. He did a scope and when he removed the scope I caught a brief glimpse of concern on his usually smiling face. He said he saw a bulge at the base of my tongue and because of that he waned me to have a neck CT scan with contrast. Of course my internal alarms already fueled by suspicion and now adrenaline were pinging like a pinball machine.
He ordered an allergy panel because I have also had chronic sinus infection and allergy symptoms.
I went for the CT the following Monday but it was down so I had to reschedule and ended up doing it that Friday. I accidentally saw a Chief Complaint on my chart “Neoplasm”.
So now that term gets me going again. For a week I’m constantly talking myself down. Two hours sleep at night. Going through the motions at work and home. In the back of mind the cancer possibility is always there.
Monday I get a call from the ENTs office. Telling me I needed to come in Friday “to go over all my test results and by the way have you heard of Alpha Gal? Because you tested positive for it. Where do you want us to call in the script for the Epipen because you need it immediately and keep it by you at all times.”
😳😲
“No, we don’t have the CT results yet but we will go over them Friday. “
Here goes the stress levels again.
Now, on top of worrying about having throat cancer I have found out that I need to completely clean up my diet, and other routine habits, figure out what I can eat and take daily antihistamines to help prevent reactions.
By the time I went to the appointment yesterday I was convinced of the cancer. I was trying to figure out how I was going to tell my children and my mother and my friends and my church family, and everyone. Except my husband who knew everything that was going on. Thank God for him. Although I could tell he was worried he stayed very calm and compassionate.
On top of researching Alpha Gal I was researching throat and esophageal cancer. Every stage. Every prognosis. Every treatment. Every alternative.
For two weeks I prayed and meditated like I never have before for strength, healing, guidance, clarity, anything to calm my mind, and I’m not trying yo be crass, but keep me from losing my s**t.
Nothing was working 100%.
Friday, in the parking lot, five minutes before my appointment. We prayed.
When I went in the doc came in and said “Ok, let’s start with the good news. The CT…” I interrupted him. “What?!” (CT? Good news?)
He looked at me and continued “your CT showed no mass or abnormal lymph nodes”. The tears started rolling. He was confused, “ I’m sorry. Did you want me to say you have Cancer?” I said “no, I just knew you were going to!”
Smiling ear to ear he said, “well, that makes talking to you about Alpha Gal much easier.”
So yes, I have Alpha Gal. Yes, this is life changing. But not all bad.
But at least I don’t have throat cancer. I do have a couple of tests that I’m going to have done to look at my stomach and esophagus. Due to years of GERD I want to make sure I don’t have damage there. He seemed pretty confident that I was fine and it was Alpha Gal but told me for my peace of mind to go ahead and do them.
As he was leaving the exam room I said ”I’m sorry to be a pain, but are you sure you didn’t see anything at all? No angry lesions or nodes?”
He said “nothing looked mad at me. But I’ll give you a copy of the CT report so you can read it yourself.”
So in relief again I cried part of the drive home.
I felt like I had been released from my mental, death row prison.
What does all of this have to do with Stony Oak Hollow Farm? Well, I’ll tell you.
Alpha Gal typically comes from tick bites. We live in the woods, (Stony Oak Hollow) we have a farm in which we have cows, a horse, sheep, a pig, goats, rabbits, dogs and cats. Possible exposure to any of those if you are an Alpha Gal could result in a reaction, even as severe as anaphylaxis.
New tick bites could lead to a reaction. I’ve pulled 3 off this week.
I’ve always been an outdoors person. I’m a farm gal. Now I am an Alpha Farm Gal. I’m using this page to not only talk about our farm but also how we are going to move forward with this lifestyle and my condition. I want to use this to help educate others or be a support person. The doc told me there are probably at least 25 people I know that have Alpha Gal and have not been diagnosed because the symptoms are so variable and there is typically a delayed reaction to exposure. This diagnosis was actually in a way a relief to me due to other issues I’ve had over the last several year that never seemed to completely go away. Now I know I’m really not a hypochondriac!
So weekly I will be posting information about Alpha Gal. I am posting two photos of what can typically cause reactions to demonstrate how big of a life changer this is.
Please feel free to question or comment.
God Bless!
