Good news to report.
I will be going in for surgery on July 23rd to remove the tumor. The orthopedic surgeon has determined that the radiation dramatically reduced the size of the tumor to the point that surgery is now an option. He may have to take some skin from my thigh to cover up the hole he'll make to get the tumor out. He'll be able to save the skin on the bottom of my foot. After the surgery, there may be some preventative chemo I will still have to go through, but we are nearing the end of the treatment.
Of course the surgery scheduled so close to our family cruise on August 12th means that I will be in a wheelchair for the trip. Thank heavens for elevators. The family has assured me that they would rather have me on the trip in a wheelchair, than not go at all. Michael is used to wheeling me around, so this should be smooth sailing.
Oh, the initial ride in the motorized shopping cart was OK. It went faster when I first started to drive it, but then I guess the charge went down and it was more a manageable speed for me. I did run into a cardboard display with watches when I turned a corner. When we finished shopping and drove the cart to the car, Paul went to drive it back into the store and hit the bumper on the car. So he can't criticize me for my driving.
Thanks again to all my friends for your continuing concern for me during this treatment. I enjoy the cards coming in and the luncheon dates as well as the phone calls. I will write again in a couple of weeks.
Take care.
Betsy
Monday, July 16, 2007
Sunday, July 1, 2007
July 1, 2007
Good morning Blog Readers! (say it loud like Robin Williams in "Good Morning Vietnam)
Since I last wrote you, not much has really been happening. I met with my chemo doctor on the 21st of June and he suggested I see my orthopedic surgeon. I met with the surgeon the next day. He was very pleased with the results of the radiation and chemotherapy on my tumor. He felt that he could successfully remove the tumor without losing the skin from the bottom of my foot. He would take a small piece of skin from my thigh to cover the hole on the side of my foot. The surgery would have to wait until the dead skin from the blisters was gone. Sometime in July would be a good time for the surgery.
Unbeknown to me, the pain in the back of my right leg which I thought was a pulled muscle, turned out to be a blood clot. When I went to see my primary physician later on the 21st, she noticed the swelling in my right ankle and calf. She rushed me off to Heights Imaging to verify her suspicions. Sure enough I had one. I was told when you're on chemo, you're more susceptible to these things. I called my chemo doctor who ordered a shot for me at the PA Hosp. emergency room. Paul and I headed over and arrived there at 7:35 pm. I didn't receive the shot until 2:30 a.m. It seems they put my paperwork on the bottom of the pile. They kept apologizing and I was just falling asleep anxious to get out of there. Now I have to have a shot every night until my cumadin level is regulated. I have to have a blood test every Thursday to know when to stop the shots. Luckily, the surgeon says this shouldn't deter the surgery too much.
I thought I was going to be in chemo this past week, but no one called to schedule me. So Mike and I went to the dentist. And I was able to get an updated MRI and CAT scan for the surgeon. So Monday is another week and we'll see what happens.
I'm going to try out one of those electric carts in the grocery store. I'm a little nervous about running into people and my husband telling me how to drive. You know those back seat drivers are the pits.
Have a safe and happy 4th of July.
Since I last wrote you, not much has really been happening. I met with my chemo doctor on the 21st of June and he suggested I see my orthopedic surgeon. I met with the surgeon the next day. He was very pleased with the results of the radiation and chemotherapy on my tumor. He felt that he could successfully remove the tumor without losing the skin from the bottom of my foot. He would take a small piece of skin from my thigh to cover the hole on the side of my foot. The surgery would have to wait until the dead skin from the blisters was gone. Sometime in July would be a good time for the surgery.
Unbeknown to me, the pain in the back of my right leg which I thought was a pulled muscle, turned out to be a blood clot. When I went to see my primary physician later on the 21st, she noticed the swelling in my right ankle and calf. She rushed me off to Heights Imaging to verify her suspicions. Sure enough I had one. I was told when you're on chemo, you're more susceptible to these things. I called my chemo doctor who ordered a shot for me at the PA Hosp. emergency room. Paul and I headed over and arrived there at 7:35 pm. I didn't receive the shot until 2:30 a.m. It seems they put my paperwork on the bottom of the pile. They kept apologizing and I was just falling asleep anxious to get out of there. Now I have to have a shot every night until my cumadin level is regulated. I have to have a blood test every Thursday to know when to stop the shots. Luckily, the surgeon says this shouldn't deter the surgery too much.
I thought I was going to be in chemo this past week, but no one called to schedule me. So Mike and I went to the dentist. And I was able to get an updated MRI and CAT scan for the surgeon. So Monday is another week and we'll see what happens.
I'm going to try out one of those electric carts in the grocery store. I'm a little nervous about running into people and my husband telling me how to drive. You know those back seat drivers are the pits.
Have a safe and happy 4th of July.
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