Officially it's called an adenoma

You can Google Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenoma if you want detailed information but in a nutshell it’s a benign tumor in my pituitary gland.

Three times, it's grown to the point where it affected my optic nerves and pituitary function. Surgery was performed Feb. 2007 again in Feb. 2009 and yet again Nov. 11, 2010 to remove as much of it as possible.

My vision was preserved in each case however I've lost Growth Hormone production and am on thyroid medication to help those levels.

I had radiation after my last surgery. The risk is I could over time loose all pituitary function. The hope is it will slow or stop the persistent tumor's aggressive growth.

12/21/10

Another day another OHSU appoinment

I know it's been four days but sometimes it feels like I was just there.  Not going to complain though my reality could've easily been driving there daily for weeks on end.  I'll just smile and be grateful.

Tomorrow is my post surgery full pituitary hormonal testing.  Sounds intense huh.  It's not.  A couple minute chat with NP, a blood draw, medicine injected, a 30-45 minutes wait then another blood draw and I go home to wait.   Hopefully I'll learn the results before Christmas.

After my previous surgeries I anxiously awaited this appointment, hoping I retained function.  This time I know it's just a snapshot in time.  Radiation will soon alter my pituitary function.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)