When the oncologist met with her board, the slides from the pathology were presented. There was a great deal of discussion and the other doctors favoured a different approach. The conscensus is this: NO estrogen therapy. MRIs of the breasts and uterus to re-affirm that there are no stragglers there. Then, when the antibiotics are finished, radiation of the arm, and then extensive surgery to remove all diseased parts of the bone, and repair it using bone graph and metal. They optimistically feel that this may be the end of my problem. They never use the cancer-free or cured words, but feel that this may be the end of this cancer. Bizarre but true. My mom says that she would rather have me on the estrogen suppressent for protection, and I will be asking them about that. But it seems like good news to me. Sure, it means more surgery, but if we realize that the surgery for the infection was a separate surgery, we HAD planned on a proper surgery following the biopsy. And that surgery has not happened yet. They did more dissection and biopsy when they went in for the infection, but didn't do repair or anything else.
The pain with this last surgery is much different than with the biopsy. This pain is manageable with meds, and I *can* reduce it to nothing, though I am not often able to do that, as the meds make me kind of goofy. But with the infection pain, nothing really touched it, except that ice helped some. So, I am expecting the same from another surgery, lots of pain, but the manageable variety. It will mean another week or so in hospital, as well.
I have one MRI booked for the 28th of Sept. but they are trying to match up a second MRI with it, as they are going to knock me out for them. So it may have to be a different day. But i will keep you posted.
