Relief and Recovery

When the call came from the surgeon’s office, I answered with nervous trepidation. I was so afraid I’d hear them tell me about melanoma in my lymph nodes, that it had somehow spread to nearby tissues, perhaps metastasized throughout my body. In my worst fears, my body’s cells had been completely replaced by melanoma infected cells,  all replicating at such a rate that I had become more cancer than human, a malignant, spreading disease that devours all.

So, with these thoughts echoing in my brain, I answered the call.

“Mr. Adkins, great news! We were able to remove all of the melanoma from your shoulder and the lymph node biopsy was clear! I’m sure you were waiting eagerly to hear.”

I was so happy to hear those words, and I thanked the nurse for her call and the good news and kind words. 

What a swift, horrifying process from diagnosis to surgery, and now recovery, and relief. My family and friends, thanks for all the well wishes and supportive messages! I hope you all know how much you mean to me. 

I am so, so relieved.

Now I can get back to focusing on summer fun! 

S is for Surgery

Monday, June 30th was mine and Ashleigh’s 13 year wedding anniversary. It was also the date for my melanoma wide area excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy. Mom came down the evening of the 29th to spend the night with us, so she could be there at the hospital with me. Ashleigh drove, we dropped Penny off to stay with Catie so she could play with Scarlett. We made it to St. Joseph’s Hospital at about 8 AM. First stop was nuclear medicine to begin the lymphoscintigraphy process. This was a series of four injections of radiotracers near the melanoma, to determine which lymph node may have been infected. They made observations throughout, and the process took about two hours. I fell asleep on the scanner and slept through most of it. 

Then it was around 10:00 or so, and time for surgery prep. I never had surgery before, and had never had the need for an IV before. This was the part I was dreading the most, but the nurse was awesome, and Ashleigh and mom talked me through it and kept me from completely freaking out.

 

Then they wheeled me back to the O.R. I remember it was very cold in there! The anesthesiologist came to talk to me about what she was giving me, and once she administered the general anesthesia she asked me about the last vacation I had. I said “the beach!” And then I remember really wanting to tell her there are beaches on BOTH sides of Florida, and I was out. 

I came back up sometime around 2:30 in the afternoon, with an incision that was glued together in my right armpit, and a long bandage on my right shoulder. Touching the bandage, I couldn’t help but think about my Mamaw, peeling and slicing apples to make apple pie. Just like an apple on her table, the surgeon cut the bad places from my shoulder and discarded them. 

Now, we wait. My incisions will heal, given time. There is a 10 to 15% chance that the cancer had spread into my lymph nodes. If so, I’ll begin a year long immunotherapy program. If not, then I’m melanoma free! Either way, I’ll be seeing the dermatologist more frequently, probably every three months for a year. 

What a whirlwind the past month has been! Just a panic inducing thrill ride into the American health care system. And while I’m not through the woods just yet, I hope to have some answers soon.