Hi everyone.  It has been quite awhile since I`ve posted anything - just to
busy or too lazy I guess.
 
I would really appreciate any help or advise from those of you who have
dealt with adrenal gland tumors.
 
I`ll bring you up to date on what`s been going on concerning our 5 yr old
little girl Whidbey.
 
Last August she had a swollen vulva that lasted lasted for about 3 weeks.
Then in March, it reoccured.  Again no other symptoms such as hair loss.  We
took her in to the vet who immediately recommended surgery.  On March 6th
she had her left adrenal gland removed.  The surgeon said that everything
went well & that the right side appeared ok.
 
This is what that lab reports states: "The adrenal gland reveals a single
large focus of nodular hyperplasia within the cortex.  This has expanded to
compress the adjacent more normal adrenal cortical tissue.  This
hyperplastic nodule is composed of coalescing nodules of large polyhedral
cells with abundant, lightly vacuolated, eosinophilic cytoplasm.  These are
supported by a fine fibrovascular stroma.
 
The lesions are very typical of the adednomas which are the most common
adrenal tumor recognized.  The prognosis following sugery is excellent."
 
Well, her vulva is still as swollen as ever, no hair loss, but it has not
grown back at all were she was shaved either.
 
Because she has always been tiny, about 1 lb & tends to get quite skinny
every summer, about 3 weeks ago I started feeding her duck soup to try to
fatten/keep her weight up.  She absolutely loves the stuff!
 
We went for her yearly vaccines last week - same weight, and the vet was
alittle surprised that her hair still hadn't grown back yet.  The only thing
she could suggest was that maybe there is now a problem with her right
gland.  She said that removing the right gland (or part of it) is more
dangerous, & they haven't had great results trying to treat it medically.
She said she would try to contact another dr. who's had quite a bit of
experience with this (she already had a copy of the faq).
 
Has anybody else had this problem before?
 
Now to add to my worries, last night she has started to have these little
coughing fits - or at least that it what it might be.  They're not sneezes
but it sounds really weird kind of like she is all stuffed up, and we
haven't been around anyone sick.  I've called & left a message for the vet
to call me back concerning this.
 
Sorry for taking up so much space, but I'm quite worried about my litte bug
& I just feel so helpless.
 
I'd also like to mention that there's been some great stories in the fml,
boy some days it is like an emotional roller coaster - from laughter to
tears from one story to the next.
 
Have you hugged your fuzzy today?
 
Edith & co.
[Posted in FML issue 1571]