Follow up

Follow up was scheduled for 25 days after my surgery.  Luckily, I can meet with my oncologist surgeon via video conference at my local medical clinic, instead of driving 5 hours to Barrie for a face-to-face appointment.  One of the benefits of technology for patients from northern Ontario.  We discuss my progress.  She is pleased with how good I look.  I am thankful for her steady hand and expertise, because I don't have any issues with bowel movements.  Just an itchy incision that looks to be healing well.  There is a little bit of pulling when I get up and down, but that is normal.  I have reduced my dependancy on pain medication, but I have to remind myself the healing process is expected to take 6 to 8 weeks.  I still need to take it easy.  

My oncologist surgeon explains that we did catch the cancer early enough that it had not spread to my surrounding tissue or lymph nodes.  My mass was grade 2, stage 3 endometrial cancer.  Ok then, what does mean?  Grade 2 for the size of mass, categorized between 5 cm to 7 cm.  Stage 3 because of the aggressive way the mass had spread to my cervix, and was moving into the vagina.  Hence, the reason I will need to follow up the surgery with radiation/chemo combination treatment to make sure that the cancer cells are gone from the vagina cuff.  My surgeon explained about how the radiation/chemo mix has proven to be a more successful treatment.  The radiation treatment plan would have to wait until I am fully healed 6 to 8 weeks from the surgery.  That works out to be around the end of October, so I should be getting a radiation treatment schedule when I meet with my radiation oncologist mid-October.  Based on this information, there is 88% chance to be still living in 5 years.  Good news for my recovery!

The surgery has made me almost cancer-free.  I say almost because there are several more follow up appointments to come during the next 5 years.  I will have to go to Sudbury for a visual exam every 4 months for the next 2 years to start with.  This will determine how things look inside there.... and how well the radiation/chemo did to kill off the rest of the cancer cells at the vagina cuff before I can be considered cancer-free.  I haven't figured out when the term "cancer survivor" actually kicks in here.  My family doctor told me that I will beat this... and will be raising lots of money for cancer research in the future.  I have participated and donated many times for cancer fundraising efforts through the New Liskeard Bikers' Reunion, Terry Fox Run, Run for Cancer, and directly to the Cancer Society.  I always felt like I was giving for others, for family members, for friends, but now it's personal - it's for me.  I didn't know that the money I gave freely would come back to help me directly.  So never say never.  Give freely from your heart and wallet... you may be saving your own life some day.