My First Green Light!

Today was a busy but informative day, I feel empowered!

Great news!! For those of you who think I am a bit assertive, watch out, now I’m aggressive!! Lol!

It seemed I was awake all night trying to decide if I should drop my classes at the University. I lay in bed dreaming of someday graduating from the University of Memphis. Believe it or not, it was a very peaceful thought! Keep in mind; I am the mother who was happy my children’s birth certificates said “Germantown,” not Memphis. I was pretty sad about the idea of dropping my classes because I love school, school is therapy for me. I believe dreams frequently make reality more palatable.

So, I decided to take my sister’s advice and email my professors. I sent them “my plan” to complete all the work in due time. One has agreed. I haven’t heard from the other as of now but one class is better than no class. Some may feel this is too much to take on but I think school is a place I can be EVA! Not to mention, people don’t know anything about my “news!” I really am excited! I truly plan to ace the classes too!!

Now for the best part of my day:

I managed to push my doctors to give me the “third” opinion before the second opinion! I’m so excited, I feel like the ball is rolling. Oh ya, my head is rolling too! My phone has been ringing non-stop today. I may even start using my roll over minutes on my cellular phone this month. I never imagined so many tests, so many doctors and so many opinions!!

I’m scheduled to see another surgeon tomorrow at noon, he also specializes in oncology. This is great news for me, I’m so impatient. Waiting until the 18th of Sept. was really getting to me. Oh ya, I heard through those doctors’ grapevines, I’m waiting because the doctor is on vacation. VACATION! Doesn’t he know he gets paid well to NOT take vacations? Hmmm, maybe he is one of those charity case doctors. I can only be so lucky!

I have yet, another nuclear MRI scheduled at 10:00 next Friday. For some reason, they want some imaging of the abdomen. Maybe they really are thinking of giving me that belly job I’ve been begging for!! See, I knew there was a blessing in this adversity! Lol! However, I think next Friday is too long. I have it on my list of questions, “Can you find someone to work my second MRI in sooner?”

While I played “hooky” from school today, I did some research on cancer doctors. I found a team at UT in Houston, Texas that specializes in sarcoma cancer. (we all know I love Texas!) Keep in mind, this is a rare cancer, everyone wants you as their patient/ testing pig. I’ll be sending them some of the test results next week and hope to make them my last and final stop before surgery!! I think I’m really going to like these doctors! One guy was doing a phone assessment today and asked if I had any symptoms. I said, “no.” He said, well your doctors in Memphis have listed; vomiting…I gave my explanation. Blood, I gave my explanation. Fatigue, I gave my explanation and so forth. He got quiet for a second and said, “You REALLY are optimistic, huh.” I was lost for words, yes that is possible for Eva, but he helped turn some numbness to laughter!!

It finally seems like I am in the ring, ready to fight this "Detour in Tennessee!"

The Directions

The "opinions" from the first consultation with the surgeon.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Picture of the tumor

Doctor:
*It's a BIG tumor...possibly the size of a small grapefruit, large orange. (I say tennis ball...you judge.)
*Either growing REAL fast or I simply never noticed. Keep in mind, I lost around 27 pounds since Feb/March. I had a thyroid problem and refused medication. Nor can you see this when I am standing.
*They felt it was senseless to do a biopsy because it was too big to leave it there. Rather go in and remove it and see how much area is affected. (I guess a needle biopsy may not show accurate results if a tumor is big.)
*There were other “nodules” as well. Not sure what that is as it was never tested.
*They believe it is a rhabdomyosarcoma (again, very rare in adults except for pleomorphic type.) Woman can get it and it usually in the inner thigh. Mine is on the outer thigh.) They think it’s this because they can’t move it or get their hands under it, it’s attached to the muscle or so it appears. OR liposarcoma (fatty tumor) but embedded in between the muscle. Of course, they really don’t know until they operate.
*The doc said he has seen many docs save the limb; it’s actually not common to lose a limb now. (Although it’s big and a lot of muscle may have to be removed, pray it’s not wrapped around, and then the leg can be saved.)
*They were surgeons, not Oncologists, but consulted with one. Thus, I was referred to a surgeon who specializes in Oncology; he will be the one to actually do the surgery. (if I choose him) :>)
*This may be something that requires what they call “debulking” because it is so big.

I asked a few questions…
*How much time do I have, so I can weigh all aspects of the procedures and options? They said it should be taken care of soon but there’s a lot of preparations and tests before surgery.
*On an average, how many people do you send to the “Oncologist” Surgeon? Zero, I was hoping this would give me an idea of how many times he was wrong.:<( *Survival rate…can’t really answer until they have more concrete facts and know what stage it’s in. (If it’s cancer) He did say, a good survival rate if it’s localized, if not…not so good after 5 years. *What kind of downtime am I looking at? If it’s surgery and only surgery, 3-4 weeks in a bed and then a lot of physical therapy and even more if it’s a big area. If it’s cancerous, surgery plus therapy. Depends on the after treatment needed and what I choose. *What are the odds, they are wrong? He told me the 10% left of the 90. (smart ass! Lol)…BUT, he said they are just going on what the tests show and what they have seen. (all speculation in my opinion) Nothing is concrete until a biopsy is done at the time of surgery.