Left Ovary

Since my hysterectomy, I’ve had a cyst growing on my left ovary.

We had been monitoring it every six months, but unfortunately, it continued to grow over time. By my ultrasound in July 2023, the cyst had reached 5 centimeters.

Oddly enough, most people would probably experience significant pain from something that size, but because I no longer have a uterus, there was less pressure in that area and I actually wasn’t experiencing much discomfort at all.

Even though I wasn’t in pain, my oncologist had become increasingly concerned about the growth of the cyst.

After discussing all of my options together, we ultimately decided the best course of action would be to remove my left ovary entirely. Since the cyst continued growing and there were no concerning findings on the right side, removing the affected ovary felt like the safest and most preventative decision given my medical history.

At my routine six month oncology appointments, I normally undergo a pap exam along with a full checkup.

Unfortunately, this time my pap results came back abnormal.

That hadn’t happened since before my hysterectomy, so hearing that news right before surgery was definitely discouraging and emotional.

Because of the abnormal results, my oncologist decided to add additional biopsies and testing during surgery to make sure nothing else concerning was happening and to determine whether further treatment might be necessary afterward.

One thing many people don’t realize is that you only need one functioning ovary for your body to continue producing hormones normally.

So by removing only my left ovary, I was still able to avoid immediate menopause and preserve my body’s natural hormonal balance.

And honestly, that was a huge deal to me 😊

Thankfully, the surgery itself went very smoothly and was considered a success.

Now we wait.

Within about a week, we should receive the pathology results from the biopsies related to the abnormal pap, and of course I’m hoping everything comes back completely clear.

But if for some reason additional treatment or concerns arise, I know I have an incredible support system standing beside me.

My husband.My family.My friends.And truly one of the best gynecologic oncologists in Colorado.

I won’t pretend any of this is easy.

There’s always a part of me that hopes each surgery or procedure will finally be “the last thing.”

Honestly, I thought that after my hysterectomy too.

But life has a way of humbling you and reminding you that healing is rarely a perfectly straight line.

What I do know is this:

I am strong.

Stronger than I ever imagined I could be.

And no matter what comes next, I will continue pushing forward, welcoming our sweet baby boy into the world, and soaking in every moment watching my incredible Logan grow up ❤️

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