I heard from the cancer surgeon's physician's assistant today that they've rescheduled the surgery for December 11th. As we expected, one or another of the two docs involved was unavailable for the two November Wednesdays (their surgery day of the week) in the Thanksgiving vicinity, and I asked not to do it on the 4th because of my bi-monthly state water committee meeting that day. So it's the 11th, which is seven weeks from the end of radiation, well within the 4 to 8 week recommended time for post-radiation surgery. At least now I (and my team) can begin to work on logistics.
Meanwhile as those of you who read Sunday's post know, I've become quite anxious about what it means when they say I will have a 'permanent loss of function' after all this treatment. Biking? Skiing? Helping move furniture or lift things?
The PA tried to be reassuring that the safe margins in my case shouldn't involve losing much muscle, although she also talked about the potential for "fibrosis or soft tissue scarring that can lead to a loss of motion" as one of the side effects of the radiation. (In addition to radiation making one's bones brittle down the road.) And, of course, while the tumor was not in the muscle at all, it sat right on top of my muscle, so getting a safe margin will require removing at least some muscle tissue.
It's all a little confusing. The literature on arm salvage surgeries is not extensive, but the most cited study says that, while no patients say their condition is poor post surgery, less than half say it's excellent. (The other choices were good or fair.) I've got to learn more, obviously. and practice positive thinking!
Radiation starts tomorrow.
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