February 18 I had a biopsy done. The doctor and nurses were really nice. They were explaining what they were going to do, and I told them don't sweat it, this ain't my first rodeo. Which made them go huh? Then ask what I meant, I told them.
They used an ultra sound, and what I thought was a tumor that wasn't too large, turned out to be the size of a golf ball. Did I mention that before? Remember sometimes I get lost in the ideas that run through my muddled brain. I didn't even have to see to know it was larger, when the doc says, no needle aspiration, we are taking tissue samples, it kind of lets you know it is bigger than you thought.
So he numbs me up, gets the clippers, and takes four cuttings. The loud snap of the thing is rather funny. No I didn't feel a thing, and watching the ultra sound screen was interesting. Got that done, then it is hurry up and wait.
Close to two weeks later I am in the surgeons office, being asked when do you want to get this done. My answer - tomorrow? I even got the choice if I wanted to do a hospital stay or do it as an outpatient. Since the outpatient surgery suite is at the hospital, if anything goes funny I'm right there, but if everything goes well, I can just go home. Sounds like a plan to me.
He said that the ultra sound images looked good for a total removal with good margins. So we scheduled surgery for March 18th.
Oh, yeah it was a retroperitoneal sarcoma, high grade, although today he said that the preliminary findings from the Mayo Clinic made it higher, I think that just translates into it is very aggressive and is poorly differentiated or undifferentiated. Basically that translates into it has no real pattern it just grows, no cell organization to speak of.
So now they want to get the entire report back go through it and decide if radiation would be a course to go after. Trying to keep chemo off the table since I crash and burn so fast. Doctor Vaughn is going to bring it up at the tumor board. Who knows, maybe yes and maybe no.
I can walk without a problem, oh the margins are negative, so that is good. There is a good portion of my right thigh that are numb. Literally stick a pin in and I don't feel it numb. Some of the smaller nerves may heal, but again, that is a who knows.
I did find out one thing, I have been abusing it. Started yoga, again, figured gentle stretches, would be good, and my body need the exercise like you wouldn't believe.
Wrestling with two pit bulls wasn't a smart idea either, had Sasha flipped over and was holding her and Bailey comes over and lands two paws on the incision. I feel a tearing, ouch, ouch, the feeling of hot liquid. I thought damn I ripped open the incision. Nope, but I did cause some damage that cause it to bleed under the skin and seep fluid under the skin. The body will reclaim the fluid, but it will take a while and I will have to not abuse the leg for a bit. Although he didn't say not to do yoga.
Oh, and Doctor Vaughn told me that I will be seeing him every three months and getting scans every 6. I'll never be cancer free, only waiting until the next eruption. Could be a week could be a few years, but it is always going to be there.
And that is the news from this little spot in the world.
