Well here we are, Round 2. We had hoped that we would at least make the one year mark, which would have been September 24. But we didn't. For those who don't know in July I had surgery for an umbilical hernia. When they got me into the operating room the surgeon, who knows my history, found a lump on my stomach he didn't like and removed it. It was tested and came back clear, but is the kind of lump that turns into melanoma. (And yes I was off work for 6 weeks. I am trying to set a record for days not worked in a year!) A few weeks after my surgery I found a large lump, unlike anything I have had, in my right arm pit, in the area of lymph-nodes. I finally went back to work a week or so ago on a Wednesday evening. On the following Friday I went to see the Oncologist. After examining the lump and the other one she found that I had missed, she told me that I would have to have a PET Scan and to be prepared for the fact the cancer had come back. We got the results back yesterday and they told us that several of the nodes in that area "lit up" on the PET scan and are enlarged. The next steps at this point will be an appointment with the Oncologist today, an appointment with the surgeon tomorrow and surgery sometime in the next week. Yes, more surgery. They are going to remove all of the lymph-nodes under my right arm. And off work again. I am going to break that record. I am also going to ask the surgeon if there is some sort of buy three get the forth free surgery, or frequent surgery miles. I gotta get something at this point besides more scars! We don't know, at this point, about any chemo. or radiation. When we went through the first round the doctor's told us that if a recurrence happened in the same area there would be some sort of treatments but it is still too early to know at this point. We are grateful that so far it doesn't appear to have spread any where else. With melanoma, it still could be somewhere else we just don't know it yet. We have learned a lot about melanoma over the last year and each recurrence is very scary because it can spread fast and is so small that even a PET scan won't pick it up for a while.
That is what we know at this point. We are scared to say the least. I think that in the back of our minds we knew this day would come again, we just didn't expect it so fast. I have had numerous lumps and moles removed and tested over the last year and each has been fine, and I think in some ways we just expected them all to turn out that way. I don't care how many times you hear you have cancer, it never gets easier. And having to tell my family and friends isn't much easier either. We are still somewhat in shock and are a little numb at this point. The worst part this time was the waiting to get answers after the doctor's appointment. That feeling of limbo, not knowing, is almost worse for us than knowing that I have cancer. We have talked many times over the last few days that a least if we had answers we can shift gears and get into the fight mode. So that is where we are today. Shifting those gears and putting together a game plan. We most likely will, at some point, head back to MD Anderson in Houston at least for a consultation. I want to always keep that door open and have that tool at our disposal. We will have more answers over the next few days and will post a new blog as soon as we know more. I know that each of you do, but keep us, especially the kids and our families, in your prayers. When we told the kids last night they handled it very well. Later in the evening the each got very emotional with tears and hugs. There is no more helpless feeling in the world. They have been through a lot and it is very frustrating for me to know that they will have to go through even more. Round 2. Time to get the gloves on and fight.
Remember each day to put one foot in front of the other, drink a lot of water, and don't forget to breath.......
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