Today's trip to Oschner Hospital Clinic was number 27. Tomorrow's treatment will be the last radiation for this episode of Merkel Cell Carcinoma. We had a meeting with Dr. Scroggins after the treatment to discuss the future of treatments going forward.
I'll receive notice of a follow up appointment for a visit to take place in six weeks from today and he will schedule a PET scan for 3 months from today. So it looks like after tomorrow its going to take a couple of months of healing for the damaged skin from the radiation to get back to normal; whatever that will look like.
The pictures below are the ones taken after today's treatment. I have to say that the pain in the last week has been extraordinary. I don't know if I would have agreed to have this procedure if I had known the amount of pain radiation would cause. The skin is tight due to the swelling from the lymphodema. Its sort of like a soccer ball all aired up. The depth of the burn is much deeper than an ordinary sunburn would be. The pain is a cross between having my arm covered with wasps stinging me and laying my arm in a lit fireplace. Sometimes both at the same time. Fortunately I have pain medication that masks about 90% of the pain.
Well, I will revisit this blog as events warrant and try to keep it updated. If the Lord is willing this will be the end of Merkel Cell Carcinoma on the Bayou. If a future PET scan shows a tumor or a lesion should appear then I'll deal with it at that time. God bless you all!!
This is the fore arm showing the area where the lesion was removed.
This is an overhead picture of the forearm showing the swelling that has occurred due to the lymphodemia.
For comparison is a picture of my left forearm showing the normal skin.
This is the elbow from above showing the demarcation line between the radiated skin and the healthy skin.
This photo is of the inside of my right elbow. Doc says there are lymph nodes in the elbow that have to be targeted.
The radiation area stretches from under my chin to the side of my chest under my right armpit. From there it extends to my spine across my back then up to my neck. Then it radiates down my arm on the outside and back up the inside of my arm to the armpit. What you see here is about 30% of the radiation field.
Well, that's enough of a pity party for me. Thank you all for your prayers and with God's grace he may grant me more time to enjoy my family and friends for the future.
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