See, it really CAN be EZ!

Glenda had a 9:00 a.m. appointment this morning (we are having permanent hair removal on her chin done, at her request). I had taken to her the morning meds and supplements at 7 a.m. after which she laid back down. I had her morning smoothie prepared and in the fridge, so I took Dak out for his morning walk, then to the club to read the paper, have a warm beverage, and tell lies with the other old men there. I returned home at about 8:15 expecting to wake her up to get ready for her appointment. I found her up and dressed. She's had her breakfast, made the bed, unloaded the dishwasher and was listening to her scriptures (which she actually got started herself!!). How wonderful! I told her she was working very hard on that wifely stuff this morning, and I appreciated it. Her appointment (first of 6) went well, after which we ordered our Thanksgiving Day Turkey Dinner, then swung through the Starbucks drive-thru for a hot chocolate and then home. Yeah, yeah. I know. All very routine and normal. That's what makes it so special to me!

More of EZ’s Saga

At my first appointment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Mesa. My extraordinary run of luck seems to be continuing as I've been directed to exam room #13 to await the doctor.

This morning at MD Anderson went much as I expected. It took about an hour to get 'registered' as a new patient, complete a lengthy medical history, and for them to verify my Medicare and Tricare for payment for services. Proving that my lucky streak (except for the lottery) continues, I was escorted to exam room #13. Was seen by the doctor in just a few minutes. He reviewed my medical history with me in detail, examined the spot on my ear, and went over the information forwarded from my dermatologist who removed the original growth. He then went over the plan of confirmatory diagnosis with me. They will obtain the biopsy slides from the lab that did the original to examine in their own pathology lab. On 11/17 I will have an EKG, lab work collected, ultrasound of my neck and head soft tissue, and then see the doc on 11/21 for a pre-op visit. Assuming all goes well to that point, I then go off Eliquis and NSAIDs for a week and on 11/29 be at MD Anderson before 7:00 a.m. (nothing by mouth after midnight) to have neck/head lymphatic gland mapping (a three-hour non-invasive process), followed at 11:30 with surgery to remove additional tissue from the ear lobe and the sentinel lymph gland (one or more glands) for biopsy. This is supposed to be out-patient surgery, local anesthesia only, so I should be home by 3 or so in the afternoon.

If the removed ear tissue shows clear margins and the lymph glands are negative for melanoma, I will only need routine follow-up afterward. If not, we'll go to the next stage to discuss immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or some combination of the three.

I will need someone to stay with Glenda on the 29th, as I have to be there early and stay most of the day (at least) and I'm not comfortable leaving her alone that long. Writing this up in detail has been good for me just to make sure I know and understand all this activity.

The Continuing Saga of Things That Ain't EZ

I learned today that my former massage therapist, of San Antonio, Texas, has just been diagnosed with malignant melanoma of the skin from the exact same type of lesion that I had -- a pyogenic granuloma. Mine on the ear, hers on her leg. This seems especially weird that another person that I know quite well would be found to have the same challenge as I at the same time as I when the doctors tell us that "less then 1/2 of 1%" of the biopsied pyogenic granulomae are positive for melanoma. Just seems strange. She was my (very excellent) massage therapist for nearly 10 years prior to our move to Arizona, and provided massage services to Glenda, as well. She is a very nice person and I wish her all the best in her battle with this cancer. I start my post-diagnosis journey tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Mesa, Arizona. One thing that seems somewhat encouraging: As I studied up on this disease from documents of the National Institutes of Health, my doctor's name was on a number of those peer-reviewed published articles.