Surgery

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:50 am

Well, I certainly had an adventure last week. I have had a rather large "mass" growing out of my elbow for about a year now. I assumed it was a rheumatoid nodule, a nodule of inflamed cells from my arthritis. I assumed this since it was on my elbow that I had broken as a child and that's where I have the most arthritis. That, and the finger I broke cliff-diving.

Silly me. My doctors informed me it was a tumor.

Well, my surgery was scheduled for Thursday, the very day the worst blizzard of the season blew into town. I had to drive to Durango, which is really in the mountains, and the roads were terrible. The surgery itself, only my second surgery ever (not counting self-inflicted surgeries from my teen years!)and my first "true" out-like-a-light surgery of my life was ...surprisingly easy!

They have this thing now called, "Blocking" where they can completely paralyze all nerve signals from a limb. Totally weird, its like novocaine for the extremities. Turns your arm into cordwood. Then a blink and it's all over!

The docs said that it was one of the biggest they had seen, about the size of a goose-egg. (I know there are bigger ones, maybe these doctors just haven't seen one?) They took pictures of it. I asked, "Will it grow back?" They laughed and said, "We don't know, that's the biggest one we've seen, so now you're our experiment.":-3

After that, my poor wife (with a bad foot) had to drive us back home and by that time the blizzard was REALLY howling. Thank goodness we have an excellent 4X4 truck! The good news is that I had taken off two days of school, but school ended up being canceled for both days!

Isn't it funny that you always want adventure when life is boring, but when you get it, you wish you had the boring part back again?!!!:wah:

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:56 am

Sincerely glad it went well!

Post by **spot** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:01 am

Life's all about experience, Saint. You know more now than you did before.

minks · Post by **minks** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:12 am

well glad to hear you are alright after all that.

Geeze how dull would life be if we didn't have our adventures.

Speedy recovery mate.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:42 am

you both had quite the nerving day.

wishes for a speedy recovery!:-6

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:43 am

Glad to hear surgery & out come is all well.

Don't ignore those lumps & bumps.

Relax & recover - hope for sunshine.:wah:

Patsy

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:22 am

Patsy Warnick;1285216 wrote:

Don't ignore those lumps & bumps.

Words to the wise for all of us guys!:D

As for coming out "well," I have to wait for the biopsy.:-3

(But my doctor says I'd have to be the unluckiest guy on the planet to have it come back malignant.):o

G#Gill · Post by **G#Gill** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:29 am

All the best to you Mr. Saint. :-6

Post by **spot** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:33 pm

Saint_;1285243 wrote: (But my doctor says I'd have to be the unluckiest guy on the planet to have it come back malignant.):oPerhaps you could educate me. I've never worked out the difference between a benign and a malign tumour. In what way do they differ? I know the dictionary meaning of benign and malign, it's their use in the context of a tumour that I don't yet understand.

Jazzy · Post by **Jazzy** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 12:56 pm

I'm happy to hear the surgery went well and I wish you a speedy recovery!

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:03 pm

spot;1285254 wrote: Perhaps you could educate me. I've never worked out the difference between a benign and a malign tumour. In what way do they differ? I know the dictionary meaning of benign and malign, it's their use in the context of a tumour that I don't yet understand.

And I'm as sadly uninformed as you are (on purpose, I really don't WANT to know... unless I have to!):o

As I understand it, a tumor could be benign, meaning that it is a group of cancerous cells, but they are all in one place and can be easily cut out without damage to the surrounding tissues or the body overall. (Think: "mole.")

Malignant means that the cancer is active and spreading throughout the system. If it's in the blood, as far as I know you are screwed. Time to get the affairs in order.:-3

I may seem a little flippant and uncaring as to the outcome, but that's because I've already died once and everything else is a bonus. I've had an adventure-filled life, with a wonderful, productive career, and a loving, amazing family to top it off. Asking for more would seem greedy... yes?:rolleyes:

Post by **spot** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:06 pm

I thought spreading through the system was called secondary cancer and that malignant cancers had either reached that stage or they'd not. I'm sure having it described as benign is preferable whatever it means. I've got my fingers crossed for you.

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:08 pm

A benign tumor is a tumor that lacks all three of the malignant properties of a cancer. Thus, by definition, a benign tumor does not grow in an unlimited, aggressive manner, does not invade surrounding tissues, and does not metastasize. Common examples of benign tumors include moles and uterine fibroids.

The term "benign" implies a mild and nonprogressive disease, and indeed, many kinds of benign tumors are harmless to the health. However, some neoplasms which are defined as 'benign tumors' because they lack the invasive properties of a cancer, may still produce negative health effects. Examples of this include tumors which produce a "mass effect" (compression of vital organs such as blood vessels), or "functional" tumors of endocrine tissues, which may overproduce certain hormones (examples include thyroid adenomas, adrenocortical adenomas, and pituitary adenomas).

Benign tumors typically are encapsulated, which inhibits their ability to behave in a malignant manner. Nonetheless, many types of benign tumors have the potential to become malignant and some types, such as teratoma, are notorious for this.

Here you go, I looked it up just for you. "Encapsulated" describes my tumor perfectly. It was in a sac about the size of a goose-egg attached to my elbow. it did cause some serious problems with mobility and pain, which is why I decided to eventually see the doctor about it. He told me that most of the pain was a result of inflammation of the other tissues surrounding the tumor and the bones themselves.

And, of course, they have to do the biopsy to make sure it's not one of those "teratoma" types or anything, but I'm not worried.

Without the tumor, the inflammation should get much better. (Although that will be relative because of my RA.)

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:11 pm

spot;1285276 wrote: I'm sure having it described as benign is preferable whatever it means. I've got my fingers crossed for you.

Me too! The school nurse told me that they have to be very, very careful when removing one of those, especially one that big. Apparently, if it's a bad kind and you cut the "sac" the malignant cells can get loose in the bloodstream. I should have the results of the biopsy in a day or three, I'll update everyone then.

In the meantime, thanks for the very nice well-wishes!

It's pretty hard to feel sorry for myself when I'm in a classroom, surrounded by laughing, chattering teenagers right now! LOL!:wah:

minks · Post by **minks** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:12 pm

all Yucks aside I hope all turns out well for you J.

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:08 pm

Wishing you the best and hoping the results are good:-6

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:19 pm

Do you have to keep it straight or was it on the inside? either way, OUCH!

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:40 pm

flopstock;1285308 wrote: Do you have to keep it straight or was it on the inside? either way, OUCH!

No I can bend it, but it's got probably thirty plus stitches, so I have to go easy. No shoveling snow!(It's all wrapped up today with gauze and ace bandages. I didn't want the kids to gross out!) And yes, it was under the skin near the elbow. Looked like I had a baseball stuck to my elbow, I'm darned glad to be well rid of it!

Personally.. I freakin' HATE getting cut on.

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:17 pm

Wishing you well, Saint!

PS. My older son teaches High School.

I think about him quite often healthwise, because we all found out (when he became an adult) that he has only one kidney. He seems to be doing fine, so far.

Rapunzel · Post by **Rapunzel** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:39 pm

spot;1285276 wrote: I thought spreading through the system was called secondary cancer and that malignant cancers had either reached that stage or they'd not. I'm sure having it described as benign is preferable whatever it means. I've got my fingers crossed for you.

I think Saint's right, malignant means that it's spreading through your system.

A secondary cancer means it has completed its journey and appeared at another site. So you could have lung cancer, if it's malignant it will spread and then it will appear in your lymph nodes (under your arms) or in your oesophagus/ stomach or pancreas, etc, so this becomes a secondary cancer (its at a second site and the second site now needs to be treated too.) Sadly, once you've got secondaries I think its pretty much out of control because it pretty much spreads like wildfire.

Glad to hear you're well Saint and all my very best wishes for a speedy recovery and a non-reoccurrence. :-6

ZAP · Post by **ZAP** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:47 pm

Sending you good wishes for excellent test results!