[nfb-talk] More bad news: Round 2

[Sarah Baughn]

Joseph, I am praying for you.  I have started a blog wihch will later be the 
companion to a support group which I hope to expand and make global in the 
future.  The support system is called Frees, which stands for Friends and 
Relatives Encouraging Survivors.  It is a Christ-centered system, and if you 
have a Google account, you can read the blog, and if you give me the email 
address to send it to, I will send you an invite which will allow you to 
become an author of the blog, and let you post entries.  Check out the blog, 
which was formed just yesterday, so there won't be much there yet.  It's at 
http://freesgroup.blogspot.com.  Dave, I am sorry this is so long, but I 
felt it was important.
Sarah
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "T. Joseph Carter" <carter.tjoseph at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2011 2:55 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] More bad news: Round 2


> Hey everyone,
>
> Three weeks ago I felt some pain in my leg, the opposite side from the 
> tumor in my back/side.  A scan showed something very small, but definitely 
> solid.  The doctor removed it and did a biopsy, given my history. 
> Preliminarily, it looked like another sarcoma, so they cut some margin 
> tissue out as well.  It was so small that a week later, I’ve all but 
> recovered from the surgery.
>
> I’ve waited to write to everyone until the pathology report came back, and 
> it did tonight.  It was a sarcoma, and the margins are clear.  This will 
> mean another round of radiation, and I suspect I’ll be told Tuesday that 
> chemotherapy is not considered optional this time around.
>
> The last time around, my whole life was put on hold for several months. 
> That was mostly because I was still recovering from surgery during the 
> radiation.  I don’t know how I’ll react to chemotherapy, but I’m told that 
> generally it isn’t going to be pleasant.
>
> Metastasized soft tissue sarcomas have a statistically high mortality 
> rate.  One study says 73% within six years.  They are considered to be 
> stage 4, but people can and do survive them.  My lungs were clear in 
> October; it’s a good sign if they still are.  And though we cannot prove 
> the negative, it is possible that this new tumor resulted either from 
> metastasis of the original to this and only this location, or that it is 
> what they call a second primary tumor.  Either of those make the clear 
> margins very important.
>
> We’ll know more after Tuesday, hopefully.  I’m praying for the best, and 
> would welcome prayers from others as well.
>
> Thanks everyone,
>
> Joseph
>
>
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