The Abscess is now ABSENT, or at least on its way...

So this is totally disgusting, but I wanted to post a new blog and this is what happens to be on my mind today, so...consider yourself warned that what follows is gross and unpleasant (unless you are Mandy or my brother Calvin, who both love this kind of stuff).

I have always had this little tiny mole (colorless) on the top of my spine. It's been there for years. Ten days ago it felt "puffy" and tender. Brett was out of town, so one morning when I was at my mother-in-law's house I asked Dixie to take a look at it. She said it looked like a zit but it had not yet come to a head. She gave me some of her "miracle salve" made by her friend Nancy (stinky stuff, Nance!). But after over a week it still had not come to a head. Instead it felt bigger and more sore. I could feel it when I turned my head or lay on a pillow. And I couldn't quit touching it (which I'm sure only made it worse).

I made an appointment with my doctor so that I could finally identify my new friend as either a tumor or "my twin" (a shout out to all those My Big Fat Greek Wedding fans). Unfortunatly, I could not get in until Wednesday (which is now today). In the meantime, it continued to grow and mystify us.

Last night Brett and I went with other members of our ward to clean the temple (which was a wonderful experience I plan on posting about later). I touched it as I was vacuuming there and noticed that the "bump" felt harder. As though whatever "filled" it was no longer squishy. Instead it was firm and kind of "rolled" underneath my skin if I pushed it around. Hmm. Interesting. And a little concerning.

Then, when I woke up this morning, "my twin" had grown from annoyingly big to grotesquely huge! I could feel pain and pressure in a much broader area, as well as up my neck and into my hairline on the right side. I was so grateful that my doctor's appointment was in just a few hours!

Once I got to the doctor, I could tell it must have been real pretty, because both the nurse (Cindy: nice gal) and the doctor made wide-eyed, scrunched-nosed expressions upon first peek. The doctor said it was about an inch wide in diameter and upon further inspection, jokingly ruled out that I had a twin because she could not find a pulse for the infection. Most likely, what happened was that tiny little mole must have somehow got "knicked" and then infected (maybe when I shaved my back a few weeks ago? ...just kidding).

After a bit of a painful incision, my abscess, to whom I had grown quite attached, was lanced and drained, therefore history. (At least we hope!) I'll spare you the drainage visual... The spot on the back of my neck is still quite tender and surprisingly it still hurts to turn my head and stretch my neck muscles, but hopefully the three Ibuprofen I just downed will take care of my painful reminder!

There really wasn't a point to this post, other than to share my near-gangrenous experience and perhaps make your stomach churn a little. (Hopefully you didn't read this on your lunchbreak!)