Welcome to my Blog!

Hi, I'm Betsy B, and this blog exists to communicate with all my friends and family as we journey together towards a full recovery from my "frustrating footsie"!

You can check here for updates on how I'm doing, and to leave notes and thoughts of encouragement.

What started out as a small lump on the bottom of my arch on my right foot at the end of summer, has surely turned into a "frustrating footie." While we waited to see if the lump was just fat from backless sandals, it never went away when I started wearing shoes and sneakers. After X-rays revealed nothing substanstive, it was suggested that I get an MRI, which between primary physician, podiatrist and my insurance company, took way longer than expected.

Two days after Christmas, I made a mad push to get this thing moving. After much whining and crying, I got my MRI. A week later it revealed a malignant tumor. The terror of losing a foot or even scarier for me since cancer ran in my family, that it could spread to the rest of my body. Immediately the podiatrist found the best orthopedic oncologist for me to go to in Philadelphia. Three days later I was in his office and he said it look suspicious. A week later the biopsy was done and it took ten frustrating days to get the results. Two hours later I was in the orthopedic oncologist office telling me they were wanted me to see a hematologist to get the chemo started. They decided that it was better to shrink the tumor through chemo to alleviate the loss of muscle and tissue from the foot, then do radiation, and then remove the tumor.

Well this really threw me for a loop. Wednesday, Feb. 7 saw the chemo doctor and overwhelmingly explained everything from nausea to lack of hair. Thursday, Feb. 8 I was back at the hospital getting a port put in for the chemo. Friday was my testing day and my brother took me over to get the echo cardiogram and CAT scan as explained below.

So now this is really my blog begins.

Thanks everyone for your support, and keep those prayers coming!

Love,

Betsy