Post 3: Doctor appointments & plan of action

A little overview of when my ulcerative colitis started, and what tests and procedures I've had this year so far that led to the reason why I need to have surgery.

1997-2011

• Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 1997 at age 19 (although I know I had it when I was younger). Several colonoscopies over the past 14 years.(I will be 33 this year) Relatively symptom free while using the drug Asacol with a few controlable flare ups over the years.
• 1997-2011 colonoscopy screenings every couple of years. Remained on Asacol.

April 2011 - Present

• August - April: Pregnant with Elise (in remission with no colitis symptoms)
• April 17th- 22nd: Suddenly sick and hospitalized for dehydration & vomiting. Since I was considered a "high risk pregnancy" I was seen regularly by a GI specialist during my pregnancy. Tests were scheduled to rule out a possible blockage or issue with my colitis.
• April 21st : First Sigmoidoscopy while pregnant (discovered mysterious "lump")
• April 23rd & 24th Vomiting suddenly stopped and I was eating again. Felt much better. 
• April 26th : Elise is born! (water broke 2 weeks early)
• May (6 weeks post partum) Second Sigmoidoscopy -lump is larger and bleeding. Low grade displasia is diagnosed after biopsies come back from pathology.
• June - First CT scan in Valdosta. Nothing was found. My local GI doctor was not comfortable with the findings here, and wanted to send me to another specialist at Shands Hospital in Florida.
• Put on steroid enemas and upped my dose of mesalamine for one month to get rid of as much inflammation as possible. This will allow better vision of the lump during the next colonoscopy.
• July: Consultation with new specialist at Shands. Upped my dose of Mesalamine to 12 pills a day to get inflammation down even more.
• August 15th: Colonoscopy and biopsies done at Shands Hospital. During colonoscopy the lump looks worse. Biopsies are done every few cm.
• August 15th: Second CT Scan done immediately after colonoscopy at Shands.
• CT scan comes back showing the growth is coming from the intestinal wall. They wanted to check all of the surrounding organs as well.
• September 1st : Pathology results come back as showing High Grade Displasia and and a high probablility of colon cancer starting to form. Told I will need to meet with surgeon to discuss treatment options.
• Lots of depression and crying this next week. Accepting it, reasearching it, trying to let it sink it. Realizing I am very lucky we found this early.
• September 19th: Back to Shands Hospital for an Ensocsopic Ultrasound and more biopsies to look at the colon again before my surgeon consultation. This will check the growth of the lump and determine what stage of cancer I have. This will also tell us if anything has spread beyond the colon.
• Diagnosed with T2 NO staged cancer based on ultrasound report. Still waiting for biopsy reports.
• September 28th: Surgeon consultation at Shands to discuss my treatment/surgery options.
• September 29th: Meet with oncologist at Shands.