my miraculous bpi tumor surg update...

[admin]

sorry it has taken me so long to update everyone on my surg! i must admit i got sidetracked w/ the whole insurance thread..lol..but thought that made it the perfect time for some upbeat news.

Dr Nath performed my surg to remove the tumor on Sept 24th. we flew down the day b/f and after my husband and i met him, any doubts we might have had were completely erased. i knew that i was in the best hands possible, and i really wasn't scared going in at all.

for me, there was a LOT that could go wrong. it was entirely possible that they would have to break my collarbone, and Dr. Nath said it would have to be pinned and all, and that they would always show thru the thin skin in that area...YUCK, so we were ALL hoping that would not have to happen.

I also had the potential for a lung collapse due to the tumor location, and most importantly, it was very possible that the BPI could be much worse after the removal of tumor, due to the stretch, and it might mean further surg and poss paralysis of my shoulder etc.

But Dr. Nath felt that there was great chances for surg to be a sucess, and that i could recover from any poss BPI stretch in 6 months. after meeting him, we were believers too.

After only 3 hrs(he thought it might take 7), I awoke from surg in great pain, but also with an intact collarbone, YEA, no more tumor, and rt fingers, hand, and arm that moved VERY well and had good feeling!!!. doc Nath was amazed at the size of the tumor, like a huge baked potato, and took dig pictures and showed us(my husband almost passed out!)

the shoulder was a bit longer in coming around...but now just over 2 weeks post op, i have VERY good ROM there too, altho not quite 100% yet. the inscions are TINY, and healed so fast the docs here were amazed. (i did take arnica for a while after surg, and also i take b-12, b-6, and zinc, etc)

the pain, esp sensory nerve, was very rough for a few days, (like my arm had been frozen so cold, that it turned to pain...and even slightest touch was excruciating and also anything cold on it set it off) but then it settled down, and now i am only on the lowest dose of neurontin, and no narcs, just advil, or ultram as needed.(it still is sensitive a bit to cold)

i sleep like a baby now..HURRAH...and only wake once at night, and can usually get back to sleep, unless i have laid on the arm or shoulder wrong, and need an advil or ultram. I am back to an almost normal life, altho i do get pooped quick and sometimes overdo and get more pain and discomfort. i can't fully use the arm or shoulder in every way yet b/c i am still too post-op, but at this stage, it truely is a miracle how well i am doing and how my life has improved already.

PS. Dr Nath is finished with his part of my medical situation, yet when he found out there were some concerns about the biopsy results, he offerd to take it, and my case history to MD anderson to get it worked up!

[Francine_Litz]

I am so happy for you! I do hope that Anderson can help you as well. Thank you so much for keeping us updated - I can feel your happiness coming right through. WOW!
-francine

[njbirk]

How wonderful to read such a story of hope and healing. I am so glad that everything went well with your surgery and appreciate your sharing with us the outcome so far. I wish you to have continuing healing and hope every day is better than the one before.

Nancy

[Tessie258]

Congratulations!!!
I hope you continue to heal at this rate!! Best of luck to you!
T.

[Dean-na]

Null...that is great. I know that your glad that you made the decision to have the surgery. Congradulations!!

[rachelcasa]

Wow! Isn't that amazing. I am so happy for you that you have gotten that out of your way. And so lucky they didn't have to break your collar bone. I hope you heal up well. Thanks for keeping us updated. Congratulations!

[JaimeC]

That is a great story! It's so nice to hear a good one! So glad it all went well. And yes, a lot of people feel the same way about Dr. Nath. Best of luck in your continued healing.
Jaime

[admin]

Thanks everyone for all your support and info!. Had it not been for you all, and this site, I can say in all honesty that at the very least, I would be sitting here now w/ a broken collorbone and cut BP nerve(s), and whatever pain and paralysis that would have occurred b/c of that.

Thanks again!

[Kathleen M]

Gretchen

How wonderful for you. I am so happy to hear that you have had such a positive experience. That your surgery has helped you so much and you are so pleased with the outcome.

I wish you great healings as the months go by please keep in touch and let us all know how you are doing.

This is truly a great way to start Awarenss Week with such positive results where you thought your chances were slim.

Your post had me teary eyed.

Kath