Well I didn't think I would post this weekend, but I've had some reaction to the chemo and wanted to post the information. I got up early Saturday and felt OK so I painted the garage door and then all of a sudden it caught up with me. I've not been sleeping well. I sleep OK until about 3:30am and then I'm just wide awake. I lay there until 5am or so because I'm still uncomfortable with the port. I've also had constipation from all the medicine I'm taking. You then have to take something to get rid of that and that medicine also has side effects.
Last night I decided not to take any pain pills because they cause constipation also. I sleep OK again until 3:30 but was up again for an hour or so. I've invited the entire family over today because Tommy is home from California and Cate has graduated and it's Sharon's birthday Tuesday. we have a lot to complete before the guests arrive at noon. Better stop bitching and start helping around the house. I've got atomic cramps and feel sort of flu like. I've been told that will happen. I've also been told I really don't have the flu so get over it and get to work.
Love you all, hope to see many of you today. I promise I'll be good. We got some great food for you.
Tom
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Day two and three went well
Day 2: I had some side effects from the one drug Adriamycin, my urine turned red, but other than that I didn't notice any of the other side effects.
My blood sugar went up to 284 which was as high as I've ever seen it. That has to do with the nausea medicine.
Day 3: My blood sugar was down to 159 which is high for me but much better than 284. They reduced the medicine from 20 oz down to 8 and that helped a lot. The process has come down from 3 hours to two hours today. They took out all the needles out of me today, so hopefully I'll be able to sleep without any pain pills tonight. It's very uncomfortable to sleep with the pain of the surgery plus the needles still in my chest. They tape it up, but it is still painful. Not bad now however, I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight however. Tommy is on his way home from California. We all look forward to his visit. My next treatment isn't until Monday, so talk to you then.
thanks for the everything.
Tom
My blood sugar went up to 284 which was as high as I've ever seen it. That has to do with the nausea medicine.
Day 3: My blood sugar was down to 159 which is high for me but much better than 284. They reduced the medicine from 20 oz down to 8 and that helped a lot. The process has come down from 3 hours to two hours today. They took out all the needles out of me today, so hopefully I'll be able to sleep without any pain pills tonight. It's very uncomfortable to sleep with the pain of the surgery plus the needles still in my chest. They tape it up, but it is still painful. Not bad now however, I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight however. Tommy is on his way home from California. We all look forward to his visit. My next treatment isn't until Monday, so talk to you then.
thanks for the everything.
Tom
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
First day of Chemo
We arrived at the Doctors off at 8am this morning and saw the Dr. about 8:45am. He had what we thought was great news. The tests that I took yesterday were all negative for any more cancer anywhere in my body. I've now been viewed by three different methods and they all say the same thing. I've got cancer, but it is a sarcoma and it is located in my bicep.
What they gave me first was two medicines for nausea and vomiting. After that they gave me 45 minutes of DTIC which is the medicine that I will receive each day for the next 19 treatments. Then she gave me the scary stuff. It was in two very large syringes and it was red. The scary part was the outfit she changed into to give me the stuff. I asked her why and she said she didn't want to get any on her and I sure didn't want any of it on me. She put it in the Port and then kept asking me, "Do you feel any burning any where on your skin. That's a real fun question to ask me. Fortunately the response was always NO THANK GOD!!!!!!
The whole process took from 8am to about 1pm. Not bad when they said it would only be about two or three hours. They said tomorrow should be shorter because I only get the DTIC and just one nausea medication
What they gave me first was two medicines for nausea and vomiting. After that they gave me 45 minutes of DTIC which is the medicine that I will receive each day for the next 19 treatments. Then she gave me the scary stuff. It was in two very large syringes and it was red. The scary part was the outfit she changed into to give me the stuff. I asked her why and she said she didn't want to get any on her and I sure didn't want any of it on me. She put it in the Port and then kept asking me, "Do you feel any burning any where on your skin. That's a real fun question to ask me. Fortunately the response was always NO THANK GOD!!!!!!
The whole process took from 8am to about 1pm. Not bad when they said it would only be about two or three hours. They said tomorrow should be shorter because I only get the DTIC and just one nausea medication
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
May 26 '09 port day
I'm still a little woozy from the drugs they gave me to do the operation. But I feel I must get this down because tomorrow starts my Chemo. The day started at 5am because I was not allowed to eat anything before I had my first Hospital visit to have a lower GI scan. However we then read that I was not allowed to eat anything from midnight for my second appointment, to have a Port put in.
For those who care to know, a Port is a device they insert in your chest so that they can use it to administer the Chemo. It is about the size of a quarter, but much thicker.
This first appointment today took place at DuPont Hospital, about two miles north of the house. We arrived at 7:30am and were told to check in at the X-ray department. There is another name for it, but I can't remember it and I'm sure I couldn't spell it either. Never the less it's where they are going to scan my lower body to see if the cancer has spread to that area.
Now remember I was not allowed to eat anything before arriving. This male nurse greeted me with a 20 oz. cold can of chalk water. At least that's what it tasted like. He said "here, drink this". Now mind you I had nothing in my stomach. It was gross, thick like a thin milk shake, but no malt or good tasting stuff at all. After about 20 minutes I managed to get it down. when I finally finished he came back and said I had to sit there for another hour because it had to circulate through my lower intestines etc.
At 9am a very cute young nurse came and took me away. She told Sharon to just stay put and that she would take over from here. She really was quite good. She gave me about 6 more oz of that chalk junk and said to chug it. She then put me on a table and told me she had to give me an IV that would make me feel warm all over. Now you got to understand about me and being stuck with needles. It's not my best procedure. I have to get Blood drawn about every three months because of my diabetes, so I'm used to getting it drawn, but from the left arm and in a particular spot. She then informs me that she can't take it from my left arm because of the Sarcoma and that I will have to have it drawn from my right arm. Believe me, I've had three or four nurses try to stick me in the right arm. No one, not even a doctor who tried, has ever been able to draw my blood from the right arm. She didn't let me talk her out of trying, she said I'm a professional and I will not stick you unless I know I have a good vein. By God she was right. The first poke got it.
So there I am laying on my back looking up into a closed x-ray machine. I love closed in spaces. I then asked if I could be put in backwards. She started to laugh and asked why. I said because you will get a much better result if you let me know I got my way. I said I'll be good if you let me have my head sticking out of this thing rather than having my head in first. She laughed but agreed to accommodate me. At the end of the 30 minute procedure I thanked her and told her she was the first person to get blood out of me from the right arm. She said she was worried that I would be a bad case, but she said you're right, once you got your way you just laid there like a good boy.
We got out at around 10am and had until 12:45 before the Port surgery. It's crazy, but I'll have to ask Sharon what happened next. I remember I was shaking like a leaf thinking about the fact that they were going to open my chest at the collarbone and stick a Port there and the other part went into my jugular vain. I had three nurses all over me asking questions and poking and prodding me. Then it happened again. They wanted to insert an IV again in my right side. She looked at my arm and could still see the bandage from earlier this morning. She said you don't mind if I put it in your hand do you. In my mind I'm thinking, what I mind is another poke anywhere on my right side. I then got into how good she was with the IV etc. She assured me she would not poke me if she felt she could not hit the vein. She was right, she got me first thing.
They put all kinds of medicine in that IV and finally carted me off to the operating room. After transferring me to the operating table, I again was swarmed by nurses and the doctor. They were very professional however and told me exactly what was going to happen. That still didn't help the shaking. They finally put the good stuff in my IV and suddenly I stopped shaking. He then started poking me with needles that were to deaden the area that was to be operated on. After about three pokes, I could no longer feel the needles. I knew he was poking me but the drugs were taking effect and I was becoming much more relaxed. The operation took about 45 minutes and about an hour and a half to recover from the procedure. Sharon then poured me into the car and drove me home. It was three hours sitting in an upright position before I started to write this blog. It is now an hour later and I can't remember anything else. (This is sharon & I CAN remember....he has a port on his right side and there are two needles sticking out so they can begin chemo tomorrow without having to puncture the skin right away since it will be tender. The chemo doc will remove the needles tomorrow and he will have all day and night to heal befor the next chemo session. He is pretty well bandaged up so nothing happens in the night. I think he will be much better after tomorrow when he has his first chemo...it's the unknown and therefor the fear that gets to you.)
Tomorrow I start Chemo. TA TA for now.
For those who care to know, a Port is a device they insert in your chest so that they can use it to administer the Chemo. It is about the size of a quarter, but much thicker.
This first appointment today took place at DuPont Hospital, about two miles north of the house. We arrived at 7:30am and were told to check in at the X-ray department. There is another name for it, but I can't remember it and I'm sure I couldn't spell it either. Never the less it's where they are going to scan my lower body to see if the cancer has spread to that area.
Now remember I was not allowed to eat anything before arriving. This male nurse greeted me with a 20 oz. cold can of chalk water. At least that's what it tasted like. He said "here, drink this". Now mind you I had nothing in my stomach. It was gross, thick like a thin milk shake, but no malt or good tasting stuff at all. After about 20 minutes I managed to get it down. when I finally finished he came back and said I had to sit there for another hour because it had to circulate through my lower intestines etc.
At 9am a very cute young nurse came and took me away. She told Sharon to just stay put and that she would take over from here. She really was quite good. She gave me about 6 more oz of that chalk junk and said to chug it. She then put me on a table and told me she had to give me an IV that would make me feel warm all over. Now you got to understand about me and being stuck with needles. It's not my best procedure. I have to get Blood drawn about every three months because of my diabetes, so I'm used to getting it drawn, but from the left arm and in a particular spot. She then informs me that she can't take it from my left arm because of the Sarcoma and that I will have to have it drawn from my right arm. Believe me, I've had three or four nurses try to stick me in the right arm. No one, not even a doctor who tried, has ever been able to draw my blood from the right arm. She didn't let me talk her out of trying, she said I'm a professional and I will not stick you unless I know I have a good vein. By God she was right. The first poke got it.
So there I am laying on my back looking up into a closed x-ray machine. I love closed in spaces. I then asked if I could be put in backwards. She started to laugh and asked why. I said because you will get a much better result if you let me know I got my way. I said I'll be good if you let me have my head sticking out of this thing rather than having my head in first. She laughed but agreed to accommodate me. At the end of the 30 minute procedure I thanked her and told her she was the first person to get blood out of me from the right arm. She said she was worried that I would be a bad case, but she said you're right, once you got your way you just laid there like a good boy.
We got out at around 10am and had until 12:45 before the Port surgery. It's crazy, but I'll have to ask Sharon what happened next. I remember I was shaking like a leaf thinking about the fact that they were going to open my chest at the collarbone and stick a Port there and the other part went into my jugular vain. I had three nurses all over me asking questions and poking and prodding me. Then it happened again. They wanted to insert an IV again in my right side. She looked at my arm and could still see the bandage from earlier this morning. She said you don't mind if I put it in your hand do you. In my mind I'm thinking, what I mind is another poke anywhere on my right side. I then got into how good she was with the IV etc. She assured me she would not poke me if she felt she could not hit the vein. She was right, she got me first thing.
They put all kinds of medicine in that IV and finally carted me off to the operating room. After transferring me to the operating table, I again was swarmed by nurses and the doctor. They were very professional however and told me exactly what was going to happen. That still didn't help the shaking. They finally put the good stuff in my IV and suddenly I stopped shaking. He then started poking me with needles that were to deaden the area that was to be operated on. After about three pokes, I could no longer feel the needles. I knew he was poking me but the drugs were taking effect and I was becoming much more relaxed. The operation took about 45 minutes and about an hour and a half to recover from the procedure. Sharon then poured me into the car and drove me home. It was three hours sitting in an upright position before I started to write this blog. It is now an hour later and I can't remember anything else. (This is sharon & I CAN remember....he has a port on his right side and there are two needles sticking out so they can begin chemo tomorrow without having to puncture the skin right away since it will be tender. The chemo doc will remove the needles tomorrow and he will have all day and night to heal befor the next chemo session. He is pretty well bandaged up so nothing happens in the night. I think he will be much better after tomorrow when he has his first chemo...it's the unknown and therefor the fear that gets to you.)
Tomorrow I start Chemo. TA TA for now.
Friday, May 22, 2009
First visit to the Chemo Doctor
Today was a very interesting day. I went to see the Chemo Oncologist in Fort Wayne. He is an East Indian named Dr. Adhami, who was educated in India. As you may know they speak English in India, but it's much different than what they taught me in Lima and at Marmion and at Xavier. My hearing aid was having a very difficult time picking up his words. Thank god Sharon was there or it would have been very embarrassing.
He explained again what my cancer was and how it was different than any other variety. He then started to tell me what must happen before I can start the Chemo. The first part was good news. My chest x-ray or scan, showed no spread of the Sarcoma in my upper body. The bad news is he wants me to have the lower parts of my body scanned. That means that Tuesday at 5am I must get up, eat a light meal and be at the Hospital by 7:30 to take some sort of drink so they will be able to read the new scan that will start at 9am. It should take an hour. After that I get to go to another Hospital across town for an implant for the Chemo injections. That starts at 12:45 pm for a 2pm procedure. The instructions say I need a driver, and no solid foods after 6am. and no liquids after 10am. That means that I go from 5am to after probably 3pm with no food or drink. As a diabetic that is scary.
Wednesday morning I go to my first round of Chemo. The medicine that I'm taking is as follows: Decarbazine or DTIC. It is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. It is classified as an "alkylating agent".
The side effects of this drug is a scary thing. 1st. Low blood counts. that can cause a greater risk of infection, anemia and/or bleeding. 2nd. Nausea or vomiting. 3rd. Poor appetite, that would piss me off. 4th. Elevation of blood liver enzymes. 5th. Flu-like symptoms (chills, fever, aches) I just love the flu. 6th. Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet or both. 7th. Sensitivity to the sun, sunburn quickly. That will make for a fun summer. I'll have to do my swimming early in the morning or after the sun goes down. 8th. This is the exciting one, chance of developing blood Cancer such as leukemia
I will only receive one dose of that and then I will start the next faze with Adriamycin. this is classified as a "anthracycline antiobiotic". Side effects of this puppy: 1st. Pain along the site where the medication was given. That's my chest you know, that will be fun trying to sleep with a pain in the upper chest. 2nd. Nausea or vomiting. 3rd. Low blood counts, risk of infection, anemia and/or bleeding 4th. Mouth sores. 5th. This is the one I'm sure I will love. Hair loss or (alopecia). He said with my chemo I will lose every bit of hair on my entire body. That's everywhere!!!!! 6th. Eyes watering. 7th. Urine may appear red etc. 8th. Darkening of the nail beds, darkening of the skin, Problems with fertility, I don't think I need to worry about that. Then there is the last but by no means least: Possibly developing blood cancer, or leukemia years after taking the drug.
One of the neat things I found was the fact that Scotty Hamilton's CARES foundation supplied all the information about the drugs.
I also asked the doctor about using ginger for the nausea, he said no one he knows uses that. He did say that they have new medicine that is both for nausea and vomiting.
I then headed over to see Bob at the health food store to see what he had to say about Chemo and nausea etc. He then told me about his grandmother and the fact that she was given 6 months to live, but with his help she lived twelve months. that didn't give me much of a lift I must say. He grabbed three things off the shelf and said I would need them for the low blood count. One of the supplements is $100.00 for a 30 day supply and the other one is $50.00. In reading the label I noticed I take everything in the $100.00 bottle except for one ingredient. My regular pills don't cost that much a month and my Insurance covers it. I'm not sure what to do, my feeling is that some of what Bob said can help me, but the nurse told me the best thing for low blood count are leafy green veggies. I can eat a lot of veggies for $150.00 a month.
I have my work cut out for me for the summer. The biggest thing that Dr. Rushing, the Sarcoma specialist said was keep active, work out each day in the early morning in the sunshine. He said the sunshine is very important in fighting cancer but that I can't afford to get a sunburn while taking Chemo. He said the early morning sun will not hurt me but to get inside after about 10 or 10:30.
I'm going to get the pool open today and tomorrow so Sammy can enjoy the weekend and the rest of summer. Debby D was over today and said she will mind the pool if she can swim. I put her in charge of everything after 10am.
That's it for today I'll pray for all of you, please return the prayers.
He explained again what my cancer was and how it was different than any other variety. He then started to tell me what must happen before I can start the Chemo. The first part was good news. My chest x-ray or scan, showed no spread of the Sarcoma in my upper body. The bad news is he wants me to have the lower parts of my body scanned. That means that Tuesday at 5am I must get up, eat a light meal and be at the Hospital by 7:30 to take some sort of drink so they will be able to read the new scan that will start at 9am. It should take an hour. After that I get to go to another Hospital across town for an implant for the Chemo injections. That starts at 12:45 pm for a 2pm procedure. The instructions say I need a driver, and no solid foods after 6am. and no liquids after 10am. That means that I go from 5am to after probably 3pm with no food or drink. As a diabetic that is scary.
Wednesday morning I go to my first round of Chemo. The medicine that I'm taking is as follows: Decarbazine or DTIC. It is an anti-cancer ("antineoplastic" or "cytotoxic") chemotherapy drug. It is classified as an "alkylating agent".
The side effects of this drug is a scary thing. 1st. Low blood counts. that can cause a greater risk of infection, anemia and/or bleeding. 2nd. Nausea or vomiting. 3rd. Poor appetite, that would piss me off. 4th. Elevation of blood liver enzymes. 5th. Flu-like symptoms (chills, fever, aches) I just love the flu. 6th. Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet or both. 7th. Sensitivity to the sun, sunburn quickly. That will make for a fun summer. I'll have to do my swimming early in the morning or after the sun goes down. 8th. This is the exciting one, chance of developing blood Cancer such as leukemia
I will only receive one dose of that and then I will start the next faze with Adriamycin. this is classified as a "anthracycline antiobiotic". Side effects of this puppy: 1st. Pain along the site where the medication was given. That's my chest you know, that will be fun trying to sleep with a pain in the upper chest. 2nd. Nausea or vomiting. 3rd. Low blood counts, risk of infection, anemia and/or bleeding 4th. Mouth sores. 5th. This is the one I'm sure I will love. Hair loss or (alopecia). He said with my chemo I will lose every bit of hair on my entire body. That's everywhere!!!!! 6th. Eyes watering. 7th. Urine may appear red etc. 8th. Darkening of the nail beds, darkening of the skin, Problems with fertility, I don't think I need to worry about that. Then there is the last but by no means least: Possibly developing blood cancer, or leukemia years after taking the drug.
One of the neat things I found was the fact that Scotty Hamilton's CARES foundation supplied all the information about the drugs.
I also asked the doctor about using ginger for the nausea, he said no one he knows uses that. He did say that they have new medicine that is both for nausea and vomiting.
I then headed over to see Bob at the health food store to see what he had to say about Chemo and nausea etc. He then told me about his grandmother and the fact that she was given 6 months to live, but with his help she lived twelve months. that didn't give me much of a lift I must say. He grabbed three things off the shelf and said I would need them for the low blood count. One of the supplements is $100.00 for a 30 day supply and the other one is $50.00. In reading the label I noticed I take everything in the $100.00 bottle except for one ingredient. My regular pills don't cost that much a month and my Insurance covers it. I'm not sure what to do, my feeling is that some of what Bob said can help me, but the nurse told me the best thing for low blood count are leafy green veggies. I can eat a lot of veggies for $150.00 a month.
I have my work cut out for me for the summer. The biggest thing that Dr. Rushing, the Sarcoma specialist said was keep active, work out each day in the early morning in the sunshine. He said the sunshine is very important in fighting cancer but that I can't afford to get a sunburn while taking Chemo. He said the early morning sun will not hurt me but to get inside after about 10 or 10:30.
I'm going to get the pool open today and tomorrow so Sammy can enjoy the weekend and the rest of summer. Debby D was over today and said she will mind the pool if she can swim. I put her in charge of everything after 10am.
That's it for today I'll pray for all of you, please return the prayers.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Heart Muga
I just returned from getting my first of two Heart Muga's. It a very interesting test to see if my heart is strong enough to take the chemo five days in a row for four treatments.
The first thing she does is tell me she is going to draw my blood and then I have to go sit in the lobby for 30 minutes while it ages. then I have to come back in and have x-rays and a electrocardiogram for about 15 minutes.
As she is putting into this little, and I talking little, enclosed x-ray machine, she tells me to watch my left arm. As I try to move it she pressed a button and the damn thing closed on my elbow crushing it right now. I scream and she panics and presses the tighter button not the release button. I'm laying there thinking, this wasn't supposed to hurt. The x-ray and electrocardiogram didn't hurt, but I'm tell you that damn pinch did.
I asked her how things looked, so she showed me my heart beating and I was sure relieved to know that. I would really be pissed if my heart wasn't working.
I'll let you know Friday how it was, and if I'm able to have chemo.
That's it for now.
The first thing she does is tell me she is going to draw my blood and then I have to go sit in the lobby for 30 minutes while it ages. then I have to come back in and have x-rays and a electrocardiogram for about 15 minutes.
As she is putting into this little, and I talking little, enclosed x-ray machine, she tells me to watch my left arm. As I try to move it she pressed a button and the damn thing closed on my elbow crushing it right now. I scream and she panics and presses the tighter button not the release button. I'm laying there thinking, this wasn't supposed to hurt. The x-ray and electrocardiogram didn't hurt, but I'm tell you that damn pinch did.
I asked her how things looked, so she showed me my heart beating and I was sure relieved to know that. I would really be pissed if my heart wasn't working.
I'll let you know Friday how it was, and if I'm able to have chemo.
That's it for now.
An Intorduction
Back in November I noticed a lump on my left bicep and finally went to the doctor in December. He thought it was a torn bicep and told me to have an ultrasound. At the ultrasound the tech said it was not a tumor because it had no blood in it. I felt very relieved and went back to the doctor. He said I should go to the orthopedic surgeon Dr. LaSalle.
Dr. LaSalle said it looked to him like a torn bicep and that there was little he could do for me unless I wanted to go through some very long and painful rehab. He asked if it hurt and if I was able to function with it the way it was. I said I had no pain to speak of and that I was able to get along with it just the way it was. He then said we didn’t have to do anything unless the lump got larger.
In March we went on a cruise and it was the first time I had a chance to really look at the bicep for some time. In working out I had noticed that it look larger, but I also felt it was just that I was building my bicep. After the cruise I decided it was best if I went back to see Dr. La Salle. Because it was not an emergency and I was not worried, it took three more weeks before he saw me. When we finally had an appointment in May he said I better have an MRI. After the MRI he looked very concerned and said I needed to go to a specialist down in Indy. He was able to get me an appointment the very next day.
I met with a Dr. Cummings and his staff and they laid it out pretty fast and direct. It looks like you might have a Sarcoma. He then said he recommended that I have a biopsy right there in his office. I decided that was a good idea. At this point I was so scared and felt like I might be dying right now. The biopsy was somewhat painful but I was so deep in prayer I didn’t feel much. He said to go home and that they would have the results in a few days, probably the following Monday or Tuesday.
The next day was Friday and I received a call from a Dr. Rushing’s office saying that they could see me today at 1:30 if I could get there by then. I called Sharon who was at the Essen House and told her we had a 1:30 appointment. About twenty minutes later they called back and said they needed to see me at 11:30. It was 9am at that time and it is a two hour drive minimum to get to Indy. Sharon was still in Antwerp and had to get home to pick me up. We left Fort Wayne at 9:40 and arrived at the Dr’s office at 11:32.
Dr. Rushing is a very busy man and we expected to see him for about ten minutes and then have to reschedule another appointment. That was not all the case. He got into see us about 12:30.
He is a very Irish 60 something, soft spoken, Sarcoma specialist. He was very pleasant and first wants me to explain how I got to see him. After that he gave me an exam and then started to tell me what I had. He explained all about the different kinds of cancers and how the treatments differed. He also explained about a sarcoma and how rare it was. He also gave me the treatment options and what my chances of survival were.
After all the different options we decided on chemo as the best option to start. I will receive four treatments of chemo starting buy June 1st. I will have one treatment each day for five days. I will then recover for two weeks and then another five days of treatment. This will go on for four full treatments. At the end I will wait a month and then have surgery the first week in September. If all goes well this should remove the sarcoma from m body. I will have at least a 65% chance of living for 12 years. It can increase to 80% depending on the outcome of surgery and if it reoccurs.
He said that sarcoma’s often do reoccurs but usually in the same area. I will need to be checked quarterly for the next three years and then each year for ten years.
Dr. LaSalle said it looked to him like a torn bicep and that there was little he could do for me unless I wanted to go through some very long and painful rehab. He asked if it hurt and if I was able to function with it the way it was. I said I had no pain to speak of and that I was able to get along with it just the way it was. He then said we didn’t have to do anything unless the lump got larger.
In March we went on a cruise and it was the first time I had a chance to really look at the bicep for some time. In working out I had noticed that it look larger, but I also felt it was just that I was building my bicep. After the cruise I decided it was best if I went back to see Dr. La Salle. Because it was not an emergency and I was not worried, it took three more weeks before he saw me. When we finally had an appointment in May he said I better have an MRI. After the MRI he looked very concerned and said I needed to go to a specialist down in Indy. He was able to get me an appointment the very next day.
I met with a Dr. Cummings and his staff and they laid it out pretty fast and direct. It looks like you might have a Sarcoma. He then said he recommended that I have a biopsy right there in his office. I decided that was a good idea. At this point I was so scared and felt like I might be dying right now. The biopsy was somewhat painful but I was so deep in prayer I didn’t feel much. He said to go home and that they would have the results in a few days, probably the following Monday or Tuesday.
The next day was Friday and I received a call from a Dr. Rushing’s office saying that they could see me today at 1:30 if I could get there by then. I called Sharon who was at the Essen House and told her we had a 1:30 appointment. About twenty minutes later they called back and said they needed to see me at 11:30. It was 9am at that time and it is a two hour drive minimum to get to Indy. Sharon was still in Antwerp and had to get home to pick me up. We left Fort Wayne at 9:40 and arrived at the Dr’s office at 11:32.
Dr. Rushing is a very busy man and we expected to see him for about ten minutes and then have to reschedule another appointment. That was not all the case. He got into see us about 12:30.
He is a very Irish 60 something, soft spoken, Sarcoma specialist. He was very pleasant and first wants me to explain how I got to see him. After that he gave me an exam and then started to tell me what I had. He explained all about the different kinds of cancers and how the treatments differed. He also explained about a sarcoma and how rare it was. He also gave me the treatment options and what my chances of survival were.
After all the different options we decided on chemo as the best option to start. I will receive four treatments of chemo starting buy June 1st. I will have one treatment each day for five days. I will then recover for two weeks and then another five days of treatment. This will go on for four full treatments. At the end I will wait a month and then have surgery the first week in September. If all goes well this should remove the sarcoma from m body. I will have at least a 65% chance of living for 12 years. It can increase to 80% depending on the outcome of surgery and if it reoccurs.
He said that sarcoma’s often do reoccurs but usually in the same area. I will need to be checked quarterly for the next three years and then each year for ten years.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
