Billy Mac

Kathy:
I am also a stage 3a. I know that my wife Connie worries about me all the time. What bothers me most is the money. I am 59 and thus too young to retire, and I have been getting short term disability, but I have not heard yet if I am approved for long term. It would be nice to go back to work, but I am just not up to it ( I have some other health problems as well).
I think men worry, but may hold it in, trying to be strong. One thing that we have done is try and get things set up, a power of attorney, life insurance, and money for funeral. This may seem grime, but for us at least, the less there is to think about, the better.
Bill

Kathy:
I am also a stage 3a. I know that my wife Connie worries about me all the time. What bothers me most is the money. I am 59 and thus too young to retire, and I have been getting short term disability, but I have not heard yet if I am approved for long term. It would be nice to go back to work, but I am just not up to it ( I have some other health problems as well).
I think men worry, but may hold it in, trying to be strong. One thing that we have done is try and get things set up, a power of attorney, life insurance, and money for funeral. This may seem grime, but for us at least, the less there is to think about, the better.
Bill

Kathy:
I am also a stage 3a. I know that my wife Connie worries about me all the time. What bothers me most is the money. I am 59 and thus too young to retire, and I have been getting short term disability, but I have not heard yet if I am approved for long term. It would be nice to go back to work, but I am just not up to it ( I have some other health problems as well).
I think men worry, but may hold it in, trying to be strong. One thing that we have done is try and get things set up, a power of attorney, life insurance, and money for funeral. This may seem grime, but for us at least, the less there is to think about, the better.
Bill

I had the same surgery about a month ago. I was told to expect this type of tightness and do spider climbs ( put my hand on the wall and crawl my fingers up the wall as far as I can) . I can now get my arm straight up. Don’t worry, The “strings” will loosen up. I should also say that this surgery was a lot more painful than I expected, I had a hole under my armpit that went into my side about two inches, it has evened out quite a bit. If you are having swelling, check out lymphodema, it is fluid buildup from node removal. Also, you should wear a compression shirt. You can buy them at a sporting goods store. Buy one that fits real tight, this will help sweeze the lymph fluid out your tissue, reducing swelling, and pain. You can rub the swollen tissue, but do so very softly.
Bill

I had the same surgery about a month ago. I was told to expect this type of tightness and do spider climbs ( put my hand on the wall and crawl my fingers up the wall as far as I can) . I can now get my arm straight up. Don’t worry, The “strings” will loosen up. I should also say that this surgery was a lot more painful than I expected, I had a hole under my armpit that went into my side about two inches, it has evened out quite a bit. If you are having swelling, check out lymphodema, it is fluid buildup from node removal. Also, you should wear a compression shirt. You can buy them at a sporting goods store. Buy one that fits real tight, this will help sweeze the lymph fluid out your tissue, reducing swelling, and pain. You can rub the swollen tissue, but do so very softly.
Bill

I had the same surgery about a month ago. I was told to expect this type of tightness and do spider climbs ( put my hand on the wall and crawl my fingers up the wall as far as I can) . I can now get my arm straight up. Don’t worry, The “strings” will loosen up. I should also say that this surgery was a lot more painful than I expected, I had a hole under my armpit that went into my side about two inches, it has evened out quite a bit. If you are having swelling, check out lymphodema, it is fluid buildup from node removal. Also, you should wear a compression shirt. You can buy them at a sporting goods store. Buy one that fits real tight, this will help sweeze the lymph fluid out your tissue, reducing swelling, and pain. You can rub the swollen tissue, but do so very softly.
Bill

Steve,
I am recovering from lymph node removal from my arm pit area. They took out 6 sentinel nodes and one was positive and effaced. So I had the last surgery were they dissected out all the nodes on my right side, 37 in total. The good news was that they were all negative. The pain of healing is no big deal to know that the cancer was only in one node. So, yes have the surgery, it ain’t too bad.
Bill

Steve,
I am recovering from lymph node removal from my arm pit area. They took out 6 sentinel nodes and one was positive and effaced. So I had the last surgery were they dissected out all the nodes on my right side, 37 in total. The good news was that they were all negative. The pain of healing is no big deal to know that the cancer was only in one node. So, yes have the surgery, it ain’t too bad.
Bill

Steve,
I am recovering from lymph node removal from my arm pit area. They took out 6 sentinel nodes and one was positive and effaced. So I had the last surgery were they dissected out all the nodes on my right side, 37 in total. The good news was that they were all negative. The pain of healing is no big deal to know that the cancer was only in one node. So, yes have the surgery, it ain’t too bad.
Bill

Hi.
First I am no expert, but a patient with stage 3a (melanoma in a lymph node). I regards to tissue analysis, I have no idea about those you mention, but 3to4 month is an eternity to wait. And waiting almost three month for MRI and CT is pretty long. You may consider a physician(s) that are further away but in driving distance. Here in UT, people drive from the surrounding states to Salt Lake City to the Huntsman Center at U of U. I think that stats are crap, they are fine for scientific experiments, but your wife is an individual, and she will be either a +or a -, not 25%. So, take the high road and hang on.

Bill

Hi.
First I am no expert, but a patient with stage 3a (melanoma in a lymph node). I regards to tissue analysis, I have no idea about those you mention, but 3to4 month is an eternity to wait. And waiting almost three month for MRI and CT is pretty long. You may consider a physician(s) that are further away but in driving distance. Here in UT, people drive from the surrounding states to Salt Lake City to the Huntsman Center at U of U. I think that stats are crap, they are fine for scientific experiments, but your wife is an individual, and she will be either a +or a -, not 25%. So, take the high road and hang on.

Bill

Hi.
First I am no expert, but a patient with stage 3a (melanoma in a lymph node). I regards to tissue analysis, I have no idea about those you mention, but 3to4 month is an eternity to wait. And waiting almost three month for MRI and CT is pretty long. You may consider a physician(s) that are further away but in driving distance. Here in UT, people drive from the surrounding states to Salt Lake City to the Huntsman Center at U of U. I think that stats are crap, they are fine for scientific experiments, but your wife is an individual, and she will be either a +or a -, not 25%. So, take the high road and hang on.

Bill

I am a stage 3a male patient. I am scheduled to start the low dose interferon after I have radiation therapy. In my case I was not given much choice as to the treatment that I would be getting. This is due to the fact that I have the autoimmune disease, Sarcoidosis. So, no clinical trials, no bio chemo therapy, and no high dose interferone. My choice was radiation and peginterferon for at least one year and up to five years, or do nothing. This sucks, as my Sarcoidosis cannot be treated while I am getting the cancer treatment. I will probably be on oxygen pretty soon as my lungs are full of the Sarcoid lesions. The Drs. Attitude is that sarcoidosis won’t kill me, and ………
Bill

I am a stage 3a male patient. I am scheduled to start the low dose interferon after I have radiation therapy. In my case I was not given much choice as to the treatment that I would be getting. This is due to the fact that I have the autoimmune disease, Sarcoidosis. So, no clinical trials, no bio chemo therapy, and no high dose interferone. My choice was radiation and peginterferon for at least one year and up to five years, or do nothing. This sucks, as my Sarcoidosis cannot be treated while I am getting the cancer treatment. I will probably be on oxygen pretty soon as my lungs are full of the Sarcoid lesions. The Drs. Attitude is that sarcoidosis won’t kill me, and ………
Bill

I am a stage 3a male patient. I am scheduled to start the low dose interferon after I have radiation therapy. In my case I was not given much choice as to the treatment that I would be getting. This is due to the fact that I have the autoimmune disease, Sarcoidosis. So, no clinical trials, no bio chemo therapy, and no high dose interferone. My choice was radiation and peginterferon for at least one year and up to five years, or do nothing. This sucks, as my Sarcoidosis cannot be treated while I am getting the cancer treatment. I will probably be on oxygen pretty soon as my lungs are full of the Sarcoid lesions. The Drs. Attitude is that sarcoidosis won’t kill me, and ………
Bill