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| Date Entered at Shared Experience: 04/29/2002 |
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SARCOMA SKELETAL |
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Osteosarcoma of the right distal femur in 1993 at age 31. I had a bone transplant/allograft of approximately 6-7 inches of the femur with a steel plate and 9 screws holding the new and old bones together. I now have about a 110 degree bend in this leg and am due for a 10 year total knee replacement surgery next year. I am 8 months pregnant with my second child which is a miracle (for the second time)as the doctors told me that I had less than 10% chance of conceiving once done with all of the chemo drugs, etc. I love to defy the odds! |
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I had heavy duty doses of chemo including all the same ones that others have written about in these experiences. I had them injected into my portacath for 5 days straight every month for 16 months. I was very very sick, but I went into it with a positive attitude telling myself to let these liquids flow into my body as they were going to save my life. I just went in with those thoughts and it made it much better to deal with each time. Bald was not a great look for me, but it was a very humbling experience. One in which I think of 9 years later as a "perk" of my ordeal. Any vanity or conceitedness I had going into this was removed when I came out of it! |
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All of my treatments were at Mass General Hospital in Boston. I was very lucky to be so close to this great hospital as I lived in NH at the time. It makes going through this much easier when you know you have very competent doctors who don't mind that you too are "playing doctor" with your own care. They explained everything and never took any choices away from me during this entire 16 month process. I am grateful and indebted to them all, as well as to my true friends and my family who stood by me in thick and in thin! |
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It is now 9 years later and I am clean as a whistle. I still go to MGH for my checkups every 6 months and celebrate when I get the good news that I am doing just fine! I am due for surgery next year as my leg is now showing signs of wear and tear and I seem to taking Motrin a lot more frequently these days. Of course, the weight of the pregnancy is speeding things up until delivery in June. But, I am looking forward to the surgery as I understand that with a new knee I will have more motion to do more than just ride my bike now at 110 degrees! Overall, it was a terrible thing to have to go through, but in the end, my quality of life has improved greatly and life certainly has a new meaning to me than most people who haven't gone through this. I remind myself every day that life is not to be taken for granted and to enjoy every moment you can! |
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Feel free to contact me should you need to talk to someone who has already been there and done that for the past 9 years! I'll be happy to help in anyway that I can! |
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