Another surgery
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Another surgery

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Another surgery

  • Post
    • June 7, 2011 at 3:00 am
    nickmac56
    Participant

    My wife just had two tumors removed today, one on her stomach and one on her back. That's a total of 6 skin tumors removed (plus two brain tumors). She has two more skin tumors they are holding off on removing (or resecting if you want to get all technical) as potential harvest for a clinical trial using adapative cell therapy, if she can make it that long. She still has three lung tumors. She has added two 4 inch scars and they cut out hunks the size of half a deck of cards. She is amazing, stoic and strong.

    My wife just had two tumors removed today, one on her stomach and one on her back. That's a total of 6 skin tumors removed (plus two brain tumors). She has two more skin tumors they are holding off on removing (or resecting if you want to get all technical) as potential harvest for a clinical trial using adapative cell therapy, if she can make it that long. She still has three lung tumors. She has added two 4 inch scars and they cut out hunks the size of half a deck of cards. She is amazing, stoic and strong. and tonight resting comfortably with ice packs and taking ibuprofen  – while 3 twentysomething young men and one 54 year old man jump and scream at the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

    I've been bombarded with emails over the last two days from well meaning friends and aquaintences asking me if I had seen the announcements about the new melanoma drugs. Of course, if they had read my blog they would have known I knew about it and that she had tried and failed one and the other one she doesn't have the positive mutation. So I copy and past my polite reply. 

    All that to say, that the front line of the melanoma battle is often surgery, or tumor management as I call it. As many surgeries as one needs to to get to a time and place where a drug can work. So I salute my wife and all the other people out there battling melanoma with this old fashioned, often unappreciated treatment.

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  • Replies
      • June 7, 2011 at 3:33 am
      lhaley
      Participant

      I just had surgery Friday. I also believe that when possible surgery is still the best therapy.  It's kept me at almost 5 years now with stage IV.  I do have the B-raf mutation but am holding on as long as I can before I go that route.   Each of our cases are so individual.

      I hope you wife has a quick and uneventful recovery.

      Linda

      • June 7, 2011 at 3:33 am
      lhaley
      Participant

      I just had surgery Friday. I also believe that when possible surgery is still the best therapy.  It's kept me at almost 5 years now with stage IV.  I do have the B-raf mutation but am holding on as long as I can before I go that route.   Each of our cases are so individual.

      I hope you wife has a quick and uneventful recovery.

      Linda

        • June 7, 2011 at 8:31 am
        boot2aboot
        Participant
        Me too on both accounts …yervoy questions from family…..surgery today …still high…..what i did was to ask someone frim my medial team to call siblings…i asked my doc if yervoy was available here at james cancer and it seems i will have to travel to get the drug….since clinical trial is over…..anyine trying to get yervoy as thrapy drug through private practice? Even though i had tuor regrowth in lymphs under right armpit due to latest scans i am still stage 3c…..i would have thought differently
        • June 7, 2011 at 8:31 am
        boot2aboot
        Participant
        Me too on both accounts …yervoy questions from family…..surgery today …still high…..what i did was to ask someone frim my medial team to call siblings…i asked my doc if yervoy was available here at james cancer and it seems i will have to travel to get the drug….since clinical trial is over…..anyine trying to get yervoy as thrapy drug through private practice? Even though i had tuor regrowth in lymphs under right armpit due to latest scans i am still stage 3c…..i would have thought differently
        • June 7, 2011 at 10:58 am
        Vermont_Donna
        Participant

        Hi,

         I am so sorry that your wife and you are going through this. Yes I do think surgery (resection, I remember when I first heard that term and I didnt know what it meant) is the best option. I too have had many surgeries but am no longer able to have it anywhere from my right knee downward. I have two surgical wounds, both wider excisions, that are poorly healing…one is a year old wound now and the other is 8 months. I have special daily care and bandaging of them and have had numerous cellulitis infections of my leg. So back to you, I hope that your wife doesnt get any infections and that her healing goes well. I wish for you that she is a candidate for TIL…sounds like your best next bet.

        Big hugs to both of you,

        Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, now NED

        • June 7, 2011 at 10:58 am
        Vermont_Donna
        Participant

        Hi,

         I am so sorry that your wife and you are going through this. Yes I do think surgery (resection, I remember when I first heard that term and I didnt know what it meant) is the best option. I too have had many surgeries but am no longer able to have it anywhere from my right knee downward. I have two surgical wounds, both wider excisions, that are poorly healing…one is a year old wound now and the other is 8 months. I have special daily care and bandaging of them and have had numerous cellulitis infections of my leg. So back to you, I hope that your wife doesnt get any infections and that her healing goes well. I wish for you that she is a candidate for TIL…sounds like your best next bet.

        Big hugs to both of you,

        Vermont_Donna, stage 3a, now NED

        • June 7, 2011 at 4:08 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        Vermont Donna,

        Hi,

        I am Judy the wife of Gene_S and noticed your comment on the cellulitis infections in your legs.  I had 3rd degree burn on my one leg and have contacted cellulitis several times.  The first time the doctor said if we didn't get it under control he was going to put me in for IV medications.  We did get it under control.  I visited a health food store and told them my situation and they said to use Oil of Oregano to control cellulitis.  The next bout I did just that at the first sign of redness and soreness.  It contolled it and every time after that is what I use to controll my cellulitis.  It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and has many good properties.  Just thought I would mention this to you as it might help you control yours as well.  I only take it when I need it.  Works great for many other things as well.

        • June 8, 2011 at 1:56 am
        Vermont_Donna
        Participant

        Thank you Judy for this information….I have never heard of this, but will look into it, and ask my doctors too……I am on daily prophylactic antibiotics at this point, have just tried skin grafting (no go), am using silverdene cream right now, have used Santyl ointment (which takes care of the excess "slough" that comes from the wound beds) and still use it, have looked into hyberbaric oxygen treatment (I'm not ready to commit to 6 weeks of 5 days a week 2 hours a day in the chambers with a 4 hour round trip commute). Oh and probably some other treatments i dont remember!

        Thanks again,

        Vermont_Donna

        • June 9, 2011 at 12:45 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        Hello Donna,

        I hope you visit a naturopathic Dr. as regular MD's won't have any idea about oil of oregano as it is not a drug.  Visit a health food store or check out the search engines for oil of oregano to find out more.  I used it for a sinus infection in my grandson and in two days it was gone and the pediatrition was not in the day I picked him up from school and this was recommended by the health food store.

        Judy wife of Gene_S Stage IV

        • June 9, 2011 at 12:45 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        Hello Donna,

        I hope you visit a naturopathic Dr. as regular MD's won't have any idea about oil of oregano as it is not a drug.  Visit a health food store or check out the search engines for oil of oregano to find out more.  I used it for a sinus infection in my grandson and in two days it was gone and the pediatrition was not in the day I picked him up from school and this was recommended by the health food store.

        Judy wife of Gene_S Stage IV

        • June 8, 2011 at 1:56 am
        Vermont_Donna
        Participant

        Thank you Judy for this information….I have never heard of this, but will look into it, and ask my doctors too……I am on daily prophylactic antibiotics at this point, have just tried skin grafting (no go), am using silverdene cream right now, have used Santyl ointment (which takes care of the excess "slough" that comes from the wound beds) and still use it, have looked into hyberbaric oxygen treatment (I'm not ready to commit to 6 weeks of 5 days a week 2 hours a day in the chambers with a 4 hour round trip commute). Oh and probably some other treatments i dont remember!

        Thanks again,

        Vermont_Donna

        • June 7, 2011 at 4:08 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        Vermont Donna,

        Hi,

        I am Judy the wife of Gene_S and noticed your comment on the cellulitis infections in your legs.  I had 3rd degree burn on my one leg and have contacted cellulitis several times.  The first time the doctor said if we didn't get it under control he was going to put me in for IV medications.  We did get it under control.  I visited a health food store and told them my situation and they said to use Oil of Oregano to control cellulitis.  The next bout I did just that at the first sign of redness and soreness.  It contolled it and every time after that is what I use to controll my cellulitis.  It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and has many good properties.  Just thought I would mention this to you as it might help you control yours as well.  I only take it when I need it.  Works great for many other things as well.

        • June 7, 2011 at 4:08 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        Vermont Donna,

        Hi,

        I am Judy the wife of Gene_S and noticed your comment on the cellulitis infections in your legs.  I had 3rd degree burn on my one leg and have contacted cellulitis several times.  The first time the doctor said if we didn't get it under control he was going to put me in for IV medications.  We did get it under control.  I visited a health food store and told them my situation and they said to use Oil of Oregano to control cellulitis.  The next bout I did just that at the first sign of redness and soreness.  It contolled it and every time after that is what I use to controll my cellulitis.  It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and has many good properties.  Just thought I would mention this to you as it might help you control yours as well.  I only take it when I need it.  Works great for many other things as well.

        • June 7, 2011 at 4:08 pm
        Gene_S
        Participant

        Vermont Donna,

        Hi,

        I am Judy the wife of Gene_S and noticed your comment on the cellulitis infections in your legs.  I had 3rd degree burn on my one leg and have contacted cellulitis several times.  The first time the doctor said if we didn't get it under control he was going to put me in for IV medications.  We did get it under control.  I visited a health food store and told them my situation and they said to use Oil of Oregano to control cellulitis.  The next bout I did just that at the first sign of redness and soreness.  It contolled it and every time after that is what I use to controll my cellulitis.  It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and has many good properties.  Just thought I would mention this to you as it might help you control yours as well.  I only take it when I need it.  Works great for many other things as well.

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