MY NEXT BIG PLAN

I guess this really isn't MY plan.  It came from my oncology team.  I remember way at the beginning of my treatment the Dr. telling me that surgery again could add several months to my life.  We have tried everything to keep from having to do that.  The rounds of chemo (9 mos. worth), taking tamoxifen, then being taken  off tamoxifen, many, many CAT scans, PET scan, needle biopsies under imaging called interventional imaging, chemo given every three weeks, then every week.  Endless Dr. appointments.  My sister and I used to laugh because 'old' people's social calendars were Dr. appointments.  Now we find ourselves in that same circle! That's really funny!  We now belly laugh at ourselves. '"It is what it is", is what we find ourselves saying practically all the time.  In fact, that is what I named one of my blogs!  After much thought and going back and forth, I am going to update anyone who is interested in my medical condition.  If you don't know what is happening or going to happen, you can't pray and send me good vibes.  So here goes.  My oncologist and team thinks that surgery is now necessary.  The OR plan is to remove my uterus, cervix, abdominal lymph nodes, and my omentum (which is where several nodes are).  If the omentum is adhered to the colon then that will require a bowel resection too. I guess this is quite a surgery and will take a long time. One & one half hrs. will be added to the surgery time as the Dr. will drip a chemo into my abdomen.  I vacillate between doing all of this versus not doing it and perhaps dying a lot sooner.  Then, too, I think about whether I will withstand this surgery.  I think that I am strong enough, but that is my thinking.  I have several pre-op tests to be done on the 19th and then see my PCP on the 24th.  I will know more then.  The surgery has been scheduled for April 18th.  Decisions, decisions!  I have several questions still to ask my Dr.  I was too blown away my last visit to think of them.  Some of them are:  1.    what is my survival rate with/without the surgery  2.   what is the recovery period  3.  What will I look like post-op (tubes, vent, ICU,)  4.  Time in hospital (he already told me 7-10 days)  If any of you reading this can think of other questions please write them to me.  Well, this was really hard to write, I guess because I thought it was all a dream or something...I don't know why.

 


 o