Update on surgery

Hello all. This is a blog post just to update everyone on my recent surgery. I am recovered and feel great. Victor and I went to my post op appointment last Thursday. We found out that I'm going to have to have another surgery. For a couple of reasons. One is that he couldn't remove all of the endometriosis due to the area it was located. Apparently it is on my lower intestines and he has to open me up for that procudure so that he doesn't puncture the intestines. Second, the CA125 levels in my blood are elevated. This is a test done to detect ovarian cancer. He said that a normal CA125 level is less than 25. He expected an elevation in me due to the endometriosis but it was elevated higher than he expected. Therefore while I am in surgery he will be doing a biopsy on my ovaries to see if in fact it is cancer. My options vary and I go to him on Jan. 19th to go over my options. He does not feel like it is cancer. He feels like it is the endometriosis that has elevated my CA125 levels. My CA125 level was 118. That is what we know so far. Keep us in your prayers. Below is a better explanation of CA125 levels from the internet

How does the CA 125 blood test work to detect ovarian cancer?
Cancer antigen 125 is a substance that is produced in the fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and the lining the lining of the chest and abdominal cavities (the pleura and the peritoneum). The CA 125 test measures a sugar protein that may be released when cells are inflamed or damaged. CA 125 levels are usually measured by a blood test, but can also be detected in fluid from the abdominal and chest cavities. Levels under 35 kU/ml are considered normal.

Ovarian cancer cells may produce an excess of these protein molecules, as may some other cancers, including cancer of the fallopian tube or endometrial cancer (cancer of the lining of the uterus). Occasionally an elevated CA 125 test indicates other benign activity not associated with cancer, such as menstruation, pregnancy, or endometriosis. However, in early stage ovarian cancer, this molecule may not necessarily be released. Thus, the test is not an effective screening test.

The CA 125 test may be used diagnostically in combination with other tests such as vaginal ultrasound, and can also be used to monitor the progress of patients with cancer: increasing levels may indicate a recurrence, while decreasing levels may indicate a response to treatment.