Dr. Maggart who is a cardiovascular surgeon, comes highly recommended. A tall, strong, kind, gesturing physician who speaks slow, methodically, easy to understand and looks you in the eye. I realize that he has had this conversation thousands of times, but I feel uniquely as if I am the first. He explains that having surgery is a no brainer. "Go in, get it out and be done" He plans to do VATS (Video assisted thoracic surgery)which is much like laproscopic surgery. Rather non invasive but major just the same. He tells me that if he is unable to get to the tumor (as it is in a precarious position) he will then be prepared to do a thorocotomy. This would involve an incision in the back, exposing and separating the ribs to get to the tumor. He plans to excise with clear margins and in the process will sacrifice a portion of my lung. He said I should expect to be short of breath but should do ok. He also said that since I didn't have any co-morbidity's before cancer that it in itself would be in my favor. Yeah, a plus...what a ya think about that?
Surgery is scheduled for Thursday August 20th at 7:30 at Baptist Hospital West. I will arrive at 5:30 AM and be in the hospital for at least a week. I was told by Dr. Maggart's nurse that I should expect at least a month for recovery. I haven't been at my present job for a year yet but my employer has been so gracious to let me pull from my vacation time to help cover my absence.
Ok, this all sucks, but it is what it is and I will go through the experience and hopefully come out on the other end stronger and more wise. Another lesson...
(The pic is of me and my Aunt Becky in the fall of 2007 after first being diagnosed with LMS)
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