I Saw My New Fresh Onco Eyes

Hey Mike, sounds like you have a good plan!  Pop that defiant sucker out and be done with him!

I too had a recalcitrant lung tumor, had the surgery, and haven't looked back.  The surgery isn't the worst I've had, but it wasn't a walk in the park. either.the biggest pain was the chest tube.  Once that came out life was much, much better.

Trust this will do it for you and PD1 will continue to kick Mel's butt!

Shalom!

Julie

Glad you liked him and he has a plan! 

Sorry about the potential surgery, but if it would ease your symptoms and allow you to go back on Opdivo after you heal, it sounds worthwhile!

Take care and wishing you the best!

Hi Mike. 

Im so glad you liked Dr. Rodriguez…that’s exactly how I felt when we went to Boston with my son to see Dr. Flaherty….I felt like my son is in such good hands and I do trust him completely. I feel like he truly has my son’s back….We do not see him regularly because we are from New York but he consults with my sons oncologist on a regular basis about my sons case.  It means the world to me that there is a doctor that cares that much about my child. 

Removing the tumor and going back on Opdivo sounds like a great plan.  Just get it out there. 

Im sure the team will come up with an awesome plan and get you moving in the right direction!!!!! 

Hang in there!!! We are all here for you!!! 

Kelly 🙂 

Of all the surgeries I've had this was actually the easiest one on me. But, like Julie in SoCal said, the chest tube was really painful for me, while it was in. As soon as it came out I felt way better. The problem was my doctor was standing in my doorway flirting with 2 nurses for a good 5-7 minutes. I was getting so frustrated watching this because I was really in alot of pain and with the meds I was on I was a little loopy and almost started yelling at him. I'm certainly glad I didn't, it might have made the stitches removal awkward. 

You’ve got this – you and new doc! Yes, scary, but cut that stubborn out asap and you’ll soon be looking back with relief.

OT and btw, I have a friend whose husband needs lung transplants. In fact they raced to the hospital yesterday and he was prepped – and 22 hours later were told the lungs weren’t a match. Back home to wait. I’ve had surgeries, but cannot imagine. 

Hang in there!

Beth, the wife

Hi Mike,

Am glad you liked your new doctor, and I think his recommendation makes sense. I asked my oncologist last week the same question (was kind of thinking of you!) and he said radiation was not so great for melanoma, it does not work. Now I know radiation for brain mets is a good idea, so seems your doctor explained why it can work in the brain and not so well elsewhere. Anyway, i was hoping for radiation a couple of years back, it seemed pretty easy compared to the alternatives (I think they guy who took out my melanoma but not successfully recommended this), but the experts at the hospital argued against.

Did you discuss TVEC? Could this work or is the tumour too large or not injectable? Bit of a curveball. For me if TVEC does not work then I will have to go for surgery too, and its what Jennunicorn did (and i guess Julie in Socal too and before that Polymath (Gary) on a huge tumour). I am wondering if lung surgery might be easier than the lower leg – I have had two leg surgeries and since I am useless with crutches found it bad each time, and worse the second time as they took more out and the skin graft was much worse.

You still might want to ask about cliniial trials and Hamid or Ribas might have more for you. But surgery could be a good option. Precsiely because its the big one in the lung thats the problem, the rest seem to be under control or maybe shrinking. SO get the big one out (I hope they mismeasured it) and maybe the meds will work (nivo/opdivo or why not keytruda which is similar?)

This is going to be a huge pain but its a plan. Get some books to read or lists of films for netflix / prime / filmstruck ready for post surgery and go for it. Hope the team can do it and you go for it.

good luck and best wishes

Mark

The head creeps? Ha. Glad you liked the doc and had a good meeting. I also think why not talk to another one as well? I understand that some are more into the trials than others. I also understand that you may be ready to just get that thing removed and go back on Nivo. Were you able to discuss your side effects and methods of relief?

Hey Mike, missing you guys!
Been trying to stay offline to kind of just enjoy my life I suppose. Been thinking about you. I just know things will end up okay for you. I have dreams about the people on here and I really believe in my dreams. Keep your head up Mike!! Much love!!!

Hey Mike, Glad you got some direction. I had a lung mass that we watched grow over a 6 month time frame (was still stage 3 at the time) Finally I had enough and asked them just to take it out. It was removed by TVAC although he said that if that was not possible once he got in there he would do it old style with a larger incision. People had warned me about the chest tube and it was not a walk in the park but it comes out before you go home so they keep you on the good pain meds. I thought this was a much easier recovery than a previous lymph node dissection. You have to make the best desision for you but if the Opdivo was working on all the others I would want to get back to it as quick as possible. 

Missy