July 28th Tuesday

This has been a very important day in the live of Thomas D. McLaughlin III and Sharon I. McLaughlin. We went to see Dr. Rushing this morning at 10:15 and left the building at 4:30.

I had to do the usual, first get my blood drawn by a lady that has vampires every where in her dungeon. She is the blood lady. She has stuck me twice before and is usually good for a one stick. Not today, she tried in my hand first and go a little blood but not enough for a sample. She then had to pull it out and try again. I had told her about all the sticks from last week and she was saying that would only happen in Fort Wayne not in Indy. Don't I wish. She did hit it the second go round so I didn't dismiss her.

I then had to go to Dr. Rushing's area and get some vitals taken etc. That was all good. He then came in about 11:15 and we had a complete exam. He said all looked well and that he needed to go get some information and would be back in a few minutes. When he came back he told us he got the MRI report but that he could not bring it up on his computer to actually look at the disk. He then told us that the chemo had done what it was going to be able to do. Part of Sarcoma were dead and parts were not. He didn't think any more chemo was going to accomplish anything because it didn't look like it had spread any where that he could feel or see. He said the best thing to do now was take it out and the sooner the better.

The next thing he did was to have his nurse call Dr Cummins, who I first saw when I came to Indy. He is the surgeon and one of three men in Indiana that does this operation. He said he could do it next Monday if that fit in my plans. Sharon said OK, let's get it done. After all this happened, Dr. Rushing sat there and talked Religion, Politics, Military Service and general conversation until 12 noon. The Good Lord had led me to the right place. He is a good Catholic, Conservative, and in favor of a Strong Military. Oh yea, he Irish.

He then had his nurse lead Sharon and me through the building to Dr. Cummings office. In about 20 minutes he came in and started to tell us about what was going to happen. He then took us into his office and showed us the images from the MRI and what he was going to have to do to take the Sarcoma out. He said this was considered a large tumor and the operation would take at least 4 hours and maybe more. I would then be in the Hospital for at least 3 days after the operation. I will have tubs in my arm for drainage and that might take more than the three or four days. Sharon will have to drain them for me. She has done that for both Ann and Debbie. It's not something she likes to do but is able to do it. "God Love Her",

He said sometimes you don't have a great deal of pain with this operation, but then again sometimes you do. It will depend on how much pain I in as to when I can go home.

Now comes the fun part: Pre Surgery Prep. That means they want all your information, that all these Dr's already have on you, once again. I had a nurse that was easily my age waddle in and try to figure out how to use the computer because the one she is used to is not like this. She, believe it or not, did not know that if the number key pad is locked that there were numbers on the top of the key board. That was scary!!!! Get ready for this one, they had down that my bump, so they called it, was on my thy. I then told her I wanted that changed before I left the building. She said she could not do that but would note it on the paper. I said that was not good enough and she needed to call the surgery scheduler and make sure they changed it. When she came back she said she left a message with the correct people. She finally asked all her questions and told us to wait and she would have the Dr. come in.

20 minutes later a female Dr. came in and asked us all kinds of questions about my history. She then did some basic medical procedures and told us what to expect at the surgery. we also told her about the mistake as to where the BUMP was located and she said: Don't worry they'll ask you where the BUMP is before surgery! She then said, besides they draw on you as to where they are going to cut etc. You can tell them then. She then said another nurse would be in to give me a EKG and draw some more blood. The lady who came in was one that had seen me earlier and taken my temp and blood pressure. She now had the EKG machine and was now a blood drawer. My first question was, can you stick the first time. OH YEA no problem, I do IV's all day long. The first stick: whoops, I blew a vein. Let me see if I can's find a good vein in your arm. She then finds what she called a good vein, one she could put an IV in no problem. She then proceeds to tell me that the reason she can find the vein is that it keeps moving. Now get this, she had the damn needle in my arm jabbing all around trying to stick the vein. I'm about to throw he out on her ear when she finally says: There it is, I knew I could find it. This SOB is going to hurt like crazy tomorrow I'm sure. My hand is already turning black and blue. I love this sh++.

The good news is I don't have to do the fourth chemo. I think I'm willing to trade a known pain in the butt for one I think will help in the long run. I'm not sure which one will have felt better by weeks end however. I got a feeling I'm going to find out.

The surgery will be at 7:30am Monday August 3rd. Sharon will have to keep all of you informed by way of the blog for that week propably. You know I'm left handed and this is in my left arm.

More later.