Biopsy Done

Much of today was spent at the hospital as they did a needle biopsy of the large tumor in Sandi's back and groin. She is in some pain, but the meds are helping so she is home and as comfortable as she can be right now. I did not go into detail  about this before today because we were scared enough. I did not want to scare everyone with what could have happened today. Now that it is over, I can talk about it.

Her tumor is about the size of a baseball and has tentacles and stuff hanging off it in different directions. It is located just off the left side of her spinal column, at the base there and runs from the front of her body to the back--just below the surface of her skin-- if you count in the tentacles. While we knew going in that this would be very dangerous to try to needle biopsy because the thing is wrapped in arteries, blood vessels, and nerves it was far worse than thought.

It is nestled between two small pieces of bone and was much more wrapped up in arteries and things than expected. They had to thread the needle into her back, slide up the back side of the bone and then drop over the top of the bone and down before the other piece of bone. They had to do this while sliding around nerves that control bodily function, range of movement, and a lots of other things. They had to do that without also damaging numerous arteries that crisscross the thing along with blood vessels and stuff that is part of the urinary tract. While he knew going in it was a bad deal, I think if he had known going in what he figured out when he was in there, he never would have tried this today. The man was absolutely exhausted when I met with him after they moved her back to recovery.

It took far longer than expected, hours longer in fact, but they were finally able to get four samples. Pathology personnel was brought in to assist in the middle of the procedure and was able to confirm that at least one of the samples was definitely a piece of the tumor. Once they determined that they  got out as quick as possible. I think there were concerns about how long everything had taken and the need to take what they had and get out while the getting was good. I think they were relived to have gotten one confirmed sample and are hoping the others will turn out to be viable as well.

So, they have four samples and know for sure after testing in the operating room that one of the four has what they were going after. It most likely will be early next week before the pathology report comes back and we know which kind of cancer this thing is. That will determine the treatment plan.

The specialist confirmed what we had been told last week---there is absolutely no way possible to remove this particular tumor. Even if they could get it out of her, the risk of irreversible damage to bodily functions and other issues is off the charts. It appears that it will be a chemo and/or radiation situation if a separate treatment plan for this thing has to be developed. We won't know that for sure until the report comes in early next week.

At this point the plan is to have lab work, doctor visit, and chemo next Wednesday as planned.

Sandi's Thyroid Biopsy Results

All five samples have come back CLEAN! No sign at all of any cancer whatsoever. Nothing, nada, zip.

They want to do a followup that may or may not include another painful biopsy deal in about three months. So the end of July and early August is looking busy as that is also when they want to do another full body PET Scan to check on things.

At this point everything has come back indicting she is in remission for the two nasty types of Non Hodgkins Lymphomas she had and no sign of any other new cancer. Still needs to have the echo cardiogram scheduled and done to make sure the chemotherapy has not done any new damage to her heart. And she still has to have the surgery to remove the port out of her chest. But, all things considered, things are looking up for Sandi's health at this point.

This was the best possible news we could have gotten. Sandi's comment was, "I told you so." I still can't quite believe it. I really want to believe but to be told this after all the indications otherwise is pretty amazing.

Because we are back online Sandi was able to update her blog from home today. As always she has a lot of pictures. In this case her blog deal is on items she recently has been making the last couple of weeks. The link to check it out is http://lady-sandra.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-finished-projects2.html


Kevin

The Thyroid Biopsy--DONE

The thyroid biopsy is done and was very hard on her. Unfortunately it was not the simple procedure so many others have experienced. Unknown to us Sandi's thyroid is much deeper in her neck than most people. Not only was that an issue, she also has some sort of cartilage across the area acting as a wall between her thyroid and the rest of her neck. This had to be punched through to get at her thyroid.

Those two complicating factors meant they had to use a much longer needle than normal. Once they got to the thyroid they then discovered to their surprise that Sandi has calcium deposits all over her thyroid. Like everything else with us, this is rare and a difficulty that had to be dealt with by working the needed back and forth. Not only did that cause a lot of pain for her, but Sandi could hear and feel it every time the needle scrapped against a calcium deposit.

They took five samples for testing. At this point we have no idea when the results will be back. Having taken a pain pill, Sandi is now in bed and asleep with an ice pack on her throat.We are supposed to watch for swelling and theoretically it should be minor.

The good thing is it is over and now yet another waiting period begins......

Sandi's Thyroid Biopsy

After talking with the auto finance people and getting nowhere on skipping a payment this month while also getting plenty of lectures about how being late would affect my credit (as if I had any credit at this point), the hospital called. Sandi's thyroid biopsy is now scheduled for late tomorrow morning.

She is happy to get it done. Also very happy that it is not a dawn procedure like so many things and she also does not have to skip breakfast or do anything. Supposedly, according to the nurse, it is a real easy procedure and there is nothing to it.