It was a routine CT scan. I’ve reached the age where certain physicians want to keep an eye on my ascending aorta, which, for the record, was perfectly okay… or at least within acceptable tolerances. No, the problem was further down. The CT scan in checking out the heart area also caught part of the abdomen, and one of them noticed something that shouldn’t be there. Ordered yet another CT scan to verify.

Yep, something that definitely shouldn’t be there.

To cut to the chase, I had a tumor attached to my stomach. Something called a GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor). Last Monday I went into surgery to have it removed. Was informed in advance and great detail about the possible complications, which I will spare you, but at the risk of Too Much Sharing, I was also informed that the tumor was possibly attached to the blood supply to the spleen. If it was, then the spleen would have to go too. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, though they did have to take part of the stomach, just to make sure they got everything that needed to go.

Spent four days in the hospital next to a roommate who would not STFU for three of those days. Glad to be back home now. I am fine if a little sore, and the odds (according to the Mayo Clinic) with this kind of tumor and when it was caught are that I will remain fine.

Back to work.