On 9/8/2007
KJaye wrote:
10 days ago my husband had a 16 cm sarcoma removed from his abdomen. It was attached to the pancreas but had not penetrated. However there were spots on his liver - which they biopsied during the surgery. The liver spots are high grade sarcoma which has vascular involvement.
My husband has missed 3 days work in the last 5 years and worked all day before his surgery. He didn't have any symptoms and we had no idea it was cancer because we were told the biopsy he had done before surgery wasn't malignant. We expected him to be in the hospital for 5 days and back to work in 6 weeks. We have been told he will need to have radiation and then chemo after he recovers and is stronger. The doctor also said that it could go either way, but that it's not likely my husband will ever work again. He is self employed and I work for him.
Our whole world changed in a day.
Does anyone have experience with leiomyosarcoma. Treatment/Prognosis. The doctors say it is quite rare - not one they see very often.
Any response would be appreciated.
ThankYou
I know what you mean when your whole world changed in a day.My husband hasn't worked since 11/06. My husband had a hyernia 11/2/06, had surgery 11/14/06, and we were called back into the office 11/28/06 to find out that they found cancer, and they had taken 3cm out.Unbelievable you bet. Monophasic Synovial Sarcoma is what we were told, so we see a specialist within our insurance network 2 hours away.Surgery was set for 12/15/06, they removed another 7cm, and that the tumor was resting on his pelvis. We go home after a few days, and get tranported back by ambulance, because of a bad infection.12/25/06, back to surgery to remove one testicle....to make light of Christmas, the kids and I brought a Christmas tree, and set it up outside his window, it made other patients smile too. He did have intraoperative radiation....then healing time. Chemo in Feb 2007, 2 sessions of 5 days each, 3 weeks in between, then 6 weeks of external radition April-May, that they had to stop for a week, because of tenderness, and then chemo again in July, 2 sessions again, which he did not want to do, the doctor told him that he needed to, but he didn't want to because he was so sick before, he couldn't even keep down water, it was horrrible, he had the same as the other people the ifos, and adm. So the July sessions, the doctor gave him "the pot pill" he wasn't really sick....now it is almost Halloween, and he seems to be doing pretty good, he has his days of being tired, which we are told will last for a year, he has been complaining of a lot of leg pain this past week, I told him to call the doctor, but he doesn't want to go through "stuff" again, I don't blame him, he wants his life back. He like your husband was active with his hands and body..."a laborer" we have 2 kids, a boy 16, and a girl just about 18, who just got a college acceptance letter, so at least they were old enough to understand, all of this confusing, emotional trama stuff. So here we are, him not wanting to go back to the pain clinic, and not in the clear yet, he should be having scans every 3 months....it's definately a long road, but with enough support, you can get through it. He focuses on making meals, and shopping, we do have 2 dogs so they keep him company, because I work so much now. He is on disability, Cobra insurance that the state is helping to pay, and have fuel assistance, and medical for the kids, through the state....there is help out there, ya just have to find it. Let me know if I can help with any ideas. We will all pray for you, and talk to you soon.