Monthly Archives: July 2013

Jul15

Holiday ~ Go or No?

Posted on by
Standard

Monday 15th July

Plans for our whole summer hinge on today’s appointment . . . .

Just arrived home after meeting with a super, consultant plastic surgeon at Exeter. I had been dreading this appointment, wondering what he was going to say. He explained that he is going to carry out the staging procedure by injecting the radioactive dye into the site of my malignant melanoma, on the top of my foot, at 9am and in the afternoon, carry out the sentinel lymph node biopsy to see which lymph node this has drained to. If all goes well, I could be going home that same day. And then wait for the results.
(He commented that my scar was healing nicely, but my toes were still a bit swollen; looking like pork chipolatas!)

My big question to him was “When!!!!??? When would you plan on carrying out the surgery?”

He looked at my notes and saw that his colleague had written that we had booked our summer holiday. “No problem, we’ll wait until you get back ~ I do have a space tomorrow, but you wouldn’t be able to fly next week!”

Oh my goodness, I had come to this appointment fearing the worst. Lots of emotions flying around my head!

He explained that he has operated on pregnant women, to remove the melanoma, and then three or even six months later, after the baby is born, carried out the sentinel lymph node biopsy.
He could see no problem with waiting until September, and reassured us that I wasn’t being foolhardy or selfish in wanting to go on holiday. If there are any microscopic cells in the nodes, or in transit, they’re not going to get markedly worse in the time we’re away. Plus, as my CT scan had come back clear, he was really positive, and said we should go and have a good time!
Feeling much better, for the moment!

I have been using the internet to find out as much as I can about this disease, and the proposed next course of events for me.

Much of the information states that the sentinel lymph node biopsy should be carried out at the time of the wider local excision, so that the route to the draining lymph nodes can be tracked accurately.

There is a school of thought though, that thinks maybe some of the microscopic cells are still in transit, and so, could be missed.

I had the MM removed on 2.5.13, and then the WLE on 7.5.13. (6mm, Stage 2b). The CT scan was on 5.6.13. My consultant said he would get me on his theatre list for September. He said it probably wouldn’t be that much sooner anyway, (unless I had it done tomorrow), as August was looking busy for him, and he was probably off to Florida for a couple of weeks too.

I’m being looked after by the NHS, but two of the three consultants (male), I’ve seen have private practices, and I certainly feel as if I’m being treated as a private patient. I feel really lucky, and totally reassured.

Jul8

Fat toes and gashed elbows

Posted on by
Standard

Monday 8th June

My weekly visit to the practice nurse saw us discussing swollen, fat toes and over-granulation of the skin. Hmmm, doesn’t sound too pretty! My fourth and fifth toe remain puffy and podgy, and are hypersensitive to touch. In between the toes, where it is warm, moist, and constantly under pressure, the friction of rubbing together, and the graft not taking, the skin remains red raw, and the scar tissue keeps on growing (the over-granulation). Bleurrgghh. The nurse says if it wasn’t for the skin graft, she would probably use silver nitrate to get rid of the excessive scar tissue. But, we’ll wait and see what the consultant says on Monday.

I now seem to have two differently sized feet; my left foot appears to be two sizes bigger than my right! Ha ha, not! When can I wear dainty, summer sandals? High heels?

Anyway, about an hour after returning from the surgery, my mum pops round on her way to the beach. She remembers that she came to see me to ask for a plaster for her elbow, as she had fallen up her steps, coming back from the town. It’s only a graze, she says. Upon closer inspection, I realise it is a rather nasty, deep looking gash. Off we go, back down to the surgery for my second visit of the day, to see the same nurse. Lots of local anaesthetic, three stitches, a SteriStrip, gauze dressing, padding, bandage and an arm stocking, and mum is ready to be driven back to our house, by my husband, for a therapeutic cup of tea. No beach today!

Jul5

The long-awaited letter arrives

Posted on by
Standard

Friday 5th July

I received a letter this morning from the consultant plastic surgeon in Exeter for an appointment a week Monday. The letter says it will just be an initial consultation, so I will go along with all sorts of questions . . . . the main one being, if it’s not life-threateningly desperate, could he hold off any surgery (a delayed Sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure), until after the summer holiday ~ do you think that’s cheeky or selfish or foolhardy on my part???? We booked our flights to America way back in January, for a five and a half week road trip.

I’ve been thinking so much about the arrival of this letter, that when I did open it, it made me feel a bit sick/scared/worried. It’s the prospect of not knowing what they might find, plus the actual procedure itself.

A number of fellow melanoma-ites have suggested that not many surgeons carry out a SLNB unless it is done at the same time as the original WLE.

Still, needs must, if that’s what the consultant thinks.

I have just over a week to wait . . . . .

Jul1

Stitches removed ~ ouchy ouch

Posted on by
Standard

Monday 1st July

Down to the surgery this morning to see the practice nurse and yes, the stitches on my back were more than ready to be removed. One long, tidy running stitch with nine loops. It was mighty sore when the last few had to be tugged and pulled out. A little bit of bleeding necessitated another dressing ~ I think my skin had started growing through the thread, and it was becoming too tight, and a bit inflamed.

It certainly felt very different, sitting in the car, being driven home. The tight, bruised, stretched sensation I had, has now gone. It’s still a bit sore, but improvement is surely there.

A bit wary that when I do sit down, or lie on it at night, I have this awful thought that the scar will split open and my insides fall out! Stupid, irrational, I know; but I can’t help it.

BUT, at least I know all of the scar and surrounding tissue that had been cut away is clear of any disease.

Reasons to be cheerful 🙂

My foot seems to be healing well, but there is a raw patch between my toes, where the skin graft didn’t take. I can now though, wear a loose pair of FitFlops, which is way better than the foam and Velcro bootie. However, my foot still is really swollen; the nurse says this is normal, and may take another two or three months to return to normal. Ha! Oh joy! The nurse also had the doctor sign me off for the rest of the term. No school until September. Wow!

Oh, by the way, can anyone tell me where May and June went?

Apart from two lots of major surgery on my foot, skin graft, two slices out of my back, infections, anaesthetics, antibiotics, stitches, crutches, painkillers, compression stocking, Velcro bootee, plaster cast, appointments, CT scan, twice-weekly dressings, nurses, doctors, consultants, plastic surgeons, hospitals. And in between I have lain in bed, or downstairs in the lounge, on the sofa, with my leg elevated.

Recovery and recouperation are slow, I’m an impatient patient, but I’m getting there.