HEALTH UPDATE

So, after all the scans and scopes and consultations and hundreds of dollars spent, the conclusion is that I do not have any obvious gastro-abnormalities. Whatever gastric pains and stuff I have been suffering from is probably due to a sensitive stomach and maybe in my head. Stress supposedly does weird things to the nervous system. At least no one has accused me of hypochondria yet.

What I do have at the moment though, is one MIA kidney and an enlarged ovary.

The above findings were incidental to the abdominal ultrasound I did last week for my gastric problems.

Sometimes, it seems that we go looking for our own troubles.

Well, it started innocently enough. I was supposed to do an ultrasound scan on my upper abdomen area to see if there are any problems with my liver and gall bladder. No problems there. I am not sure whether the radiologist was supposed to also look at the kidneys at all, or if it was just due diligence on her part, but she realised she couldn't find the left kidney where it usually is. She scanned all around, until she reached my spine....still no kidney. She went downwards towards the pelvic area, still no kidney. Went up to my chest, still no kidney. Basically, unless my kidney has decided to live above my heart, or in my legs, it didn't show up on the screen.

What did show up though, when she did the pelvic scan, was an enlarged right ovary, with what appears to be some kind of cystic growth.

Wow, one problem solved, with two other potential problems arising.

So, I have to spend another hundred plus bucks to find out where the left kidney has misplaced itself. Or whether I am one of those mutants who are born with only kidney. Or whether my left kidney has actually shrunk and atrophied without my knowledge. I still have my right kidney and it is working fine, based on a recent blood test. But a missing kidney is not something I can dismiss so easily. And I get kind of insecure when I think of the possibility that I might only have one kidney left. Like the creator left me with no back-up plans. I am an engineer after all....I like safety factors.

Then I have to see a gynaecologist for the ovarian issue. I'm not so concerned there. In a worst case scenario, I will be required to remove it. And well, that will be a million potential children gone down the hospital disposal chute, but since I never did intend to contribute to the national birth average in the first place, I don't feel the pinch. I am more concerned about the hormonal impact - I don't want to end up menopausal at the age of 31. The thought of saggy skin and hot flashes plain scares me.

I probably sound rather cavalier about the whole thing, but the truth is, I am not feeling anything. At all. No fear, no worries. In fact, I rather welcome the downtime if surgery is really required. SB thinks I need to see a shrink for all this emotional numbness that I am displaying.

Though I feel rather sorry for my parents, who are showing signs of stress at my disclosure. I guess it is a million potential grandchildren after all. Although I am actually more concerned that there is no one at the moment to fertilise those eggs even if I get to keep them. Haha.

So, the investigation continues. I just hope my Medisave account can hold up under the strain.