Hi all, sincere best wishes and regards to Cancer sufferers and carers and their families/friends.
I was diagnosed with a soft tissue/bone cancer called Leio Mio Sarcoma ( henceforth LMS ) about 12 months ago. Its a very rare cancer, and its total number of diagnosed cases are made up of approximately 80% women and 20% men. In Australia, diagnosed cases number less than 100. LMS is a very nasty cancer, but its also a very slow moving cancer. In my case, I started to find that sitting and squatting were becoming uncomfortable for me. A nagging discomfort in my groin that just wouldn't quit. So, under extreme pressure and duress from Mrs harro, off I went, to my family GP. After prodding and poking of the area in question, I was sent for an Ultrasound IMMEDIATELY. The U/S tech played around an area in my right side groin for quite some time. He said, ' Mike, don't go anywhere ( i'm on the table starkers, well, a tee shirt on anyway ), i'll be back in a sec.' He returned with the duty radiologist and together, they spent quite a bit of time looking at a certain area of my groin. After what seemed an eternity, the radiologist said to me, ' see that egg shaped thing there Mike, that shouldn't be there '. What followed was a torrent of feelings and emotion, washing over me, that has to be experienced to be believed. Well, Scanfest '19 ensued, with biopsies, more ultrasounds, several CT scans, two MRI's and a Petscan. The decision to remove the tumor ( now identified as a 6.3 CM malignant LMS non-metastasized tumor ) was made. I was just along for the ride!! Normally, a course of radiation treatment would be undertaken prior to the surgery, but it was deemed more important to remove the tumor first, in my case.
Duly removed, I was referred to a surgical oncologist, a surgical urologist and a reconstructive surgeon. First step was a five week course of high dose radiation in the affected area to reduce the size of the scar tissue area ( from the tumor removal ). Yet more scans followed, proving inconclusive. By this stage, its nearing Xmas '19, and to say you felt yourself to be in limbo, would be an understatement. Next to come ( late Jan '20 ) was clearance margins surgery, normally done at the first surgery, but due to the urgency and location, was not done. My surgery consisted of clear margin work, and reconstructive surgery, for a total of about 9 hours under general anesthetic. The reconstructive work included taking a flap of skin from my leg, still with its own blood supply attatched, moving it up to my thigh, then tunneling it through the flesh of my upper leg, to the groin. Once there, it was attatched and so on and so forth. I was 8 days in hospital, the first 4 of which were flat on my back and prohibited from any movement whatsoever. The following days were learning to walk, toilet, shower etc, and just generally get mobile again. On the eve of my discharge from hospital, my surgical oncologist, Rob, walked into my room with a sheaf of papers in his hand. In those couple of seconds from him entering, to standing by the bedside, my life literally flashed before my eyes!! This was the results of the pathology from the surgery. Honestly, I didn't want to know, at that point. To say I was pooping bricks would be a gross understatement!! He looked at me and said ' of the four layers of skin/flesh removed, the first with the scar tissue showed a 5mmsq. patch of disease, the following three layers were totally clear '. At that point I was numb all over and my eyes succumbed to the onion fumes from onions someone was cutting up somewhere nearby. Rob was just smiling. He said, ' I thought that might make your day '. The following day I was released from hospital, to begin four weeks of home recovery. I have had a Petscan and CT scan since, and they showed me to be cancer free. I am now starting the five year checks ( as RBR has just finished, biggest congrats mate ), four six monthly checkups, then three, yearly checks. I cant say yet i'm out of the woods, but I sure as heck can say I can see the edge of them pretty clearly.
During the last twelve months, I would have been TOTALLY LOST without the invaluable love and support of my immediate family ( Mrs harro and son Tom ), family and friends. NEVER TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED. I would not have coped on my own. I have learnt a totally new set of life priorities, things I thought were important seem so trivial now. My friends support has been so important to me. Everyone has been so supportive. Really, I have just been along for the ride, on this journey. So many people have worked tirelessly for my wellbeing, and that's something for which, I will be eternally grateful. It is a debt I can never repay. I feel as lucky as if I had won a major lotto prize.
I can however, sympathise firsthand with anyone newly diagnosed with cancer, and my PM box is always open for someone/their carers to discuss what they are going through, if they so desired.
The facts of life are, not everyone will have an outcome like mine, and for those people, you have nothing but best wishes and hope and thoughts and prayers.
This pic is a couple of days post surgery, and of the skin donor site. No pics of the groin area. Note the purple sharpie markings, I think the surgeons played tic tac toe on my leg while I was under.
Same site, five and a half weeks post surgery, the TM16GT for a bit of scale,
The skin receiving site is doing as well as the donor site is.
Cheers from Downunder,
Mike.