No Bagels, No Pumpkins

Today went better than I had expected.  We arrived around 7:30am and spent a few minutes going over last minute details and questions.  We were actually walking out of the building at 8:30am, so it went really fast. 

There were the usual events that were comical, probably just to me, but I figured I would share them anyway.

Dr. ENT came in and explained what he expected to happen, injected the anesthetic, and left to go get into scrubs.  Here’s a sidenote.  He decided to numb my cheek area first.  This is the area I was most nervous about.  Previously any work I had done on my cheek was excruciating.  Especially, the anesthestic injection.  Instead of injecting the local straight into my cheek, he chose to inject through the top of my upper gums.  I didn’t feel A THING!  It was awesome. 

So he comes back, dressed all in scrubs, and I had a strange flashback to my Sexy Smurf outfit from the MRI.  He puts drapes over me and a nice cold washcloth over my eyes.  Then he asks, “So did anyone have a more exciting weekend than I did”?  I almost cracked up right there.  First, because no one in the room had any idea what his weekend was like…Did he go all crazy and hang out at a star studded tractor pull event?  Or perhaps it was some insanely intense high stakes pinochle tournament?  Secondly, my face was so numb, if I even tried to speak it would have sounded like “Hmfr Gfs nprg snb”. 

I stayed quiet for most of the rest of the procedure until it came time for him to pack the incision on my face.  He explained that I would smell something unpleasant.  He wasn’t kidding.  It was far worse than last time.  Nasty, nasty, nasty smell.  It reminded me of my first year anatomy class at San Diego State.  After taking the lab portion of the class, I couldn’t eat chicken for months.  It was far too difficult considering how easily I could identify what I was eating.  I began to tell him this story and explained that now it would probably be a very very long time before I tried to toast a bagel.  He made the mistake of laughing at my joke without realizing that when I get the laugh, it does nothing but encourage me to go for another.

Sure enough, he started on my scalp.  I felt him make the incision and start to go to work.

“Hey Doc”.

“Yes”?

“Now you’ve ruined pumpking carving too”.

Schedule

I think we have a schedule put together. 

Monday, Aug. 25^th. 7:30am. Dr. ENT will remove the rest of the tumor on my scalp as well as the spot on face.  Both sites will need to remain open until pathology results are received indicating margins are clear. 

Wednesday, Aug. 27^th. 7.30am.  Second procedure scheduled just in case there is a need for additional removal.  If the pathology comes back and there is no reason for this then it will be skipped.

Friday, Aug. 29^th, 1.pm.  Surgery scheduled for removal of chest tumor.  Also at this time both head and face surgical sites will be closed, as well as reconstruction of these areas.

Mom will fly to Idaho on Sunday, Aug.24^th and she will be staying until Sept. 6.  Dad flies in on the 6^th and will be staying through the 13^th.  Hopefully, this will be enough time for all sites to heal and have suture removals, etc. 

I’ve been having an interesting weekend here in California.  I had a long talk with Grandma Thursday evening about what has been going on.  This is the first time I’ve really told her anything.  She seemed to take it well.  I’ll write more tomorrow, but I wanted to get at least something posted today. 

FANTASTIC NEWS TODAY !!!

Dr. Z called this afternoon to tell me the doctors at Tumor Board decided unanimously for treatment here in town!  He said he also spoke with some of the doctors he worked with in Boston and they also agreed that with complete surgical excision of the three spots, there was no reason for me to have to travel for treatment.  Definitely this has been the best news so far.  I finally feel like we have a treatment plan in place. 

I also met with the ENT surgeon (yes, this is the same surgeon I had initially thought I would not use)… my opinion has since changed based largely on the fact that ALL of the other doctors I have spoken with have sung the praises of Doctor ENT.  He explained much of how he plans to proceed…where the incisions will be, how large they will be, and what he expects the process to look like.  His confidence in the successful resection of all sites made me feel far more comfortable than I did last time.  He did say that he would operate on both my head and face in the same surgery.  In fact, all three sites will be taken care of in the same surgery. 

In the meantime, I’m going to head back to California for a week or so.  While I’m there, I will probably take advantage of the consultation at the John Wayne Cancer Center in Santa Monica.  I’d be a fool not to use this resource and I’d probably regret not getting the second opinion there. 

Tomorrow should be the day we are able to get everything scheduled.  The first surgery will be excision of all sites with my head and face incisions being left open to allow for pathology results. (Melanomas don’t respond to the common MOHS procedure that would allow for instantaneous margin results…it takes a couple of days for the results with melanoma).  After 3-4 days we should know whether more tissue needs or be removed or if Dr. ENT will be able to close the sites.  4 weeks after the closure of the incisions the 30 day IV Interferon injections will start.  Following that I will then be instructed on giving myself injections and will do that MWF for the subsequent 48 weeks. 

So this is great news!  Surgery and chemo fun in the comfort of my own environment… I’ll update again as soon as the schedule is set !!!