In March, Erica asked me to look at a spot on her head. We got her scheduled for a dermatology appointment, which couldn’t get her in for a couple months. The spot was the size of my fingernail in March and by the end of May it was the size of a quarter. They removed the spot in clinic at dermatology and sent it for biopsy. The lab in Wisconsin called the dermatologist and told her this is a rare form of cancer, Polypoid Melanoma. We found out on June 4th. June 6th we found out she was getting married 50 days early for insurance purposes. So we gained a son on June 10th, Erica’s 21st birthday. It was decided that the doctoring should be done at the top Melanoma Cancer center in the nation, called Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, UT. The first consult appointment was July 5th.
Summary of Erica’s appointment:
-Scheduled for scans of her body this Friday(July 7th). This is to see if there is spread of cancer.
-scheduled for surgery on Friday July 14. This is to remove the cancer from head as well as biopsy the lymph node in neck
-the following week will have another surgery with the plastic surgeons to close the wound from surgery on the 14th
-will be referred to oncology (cancer doctor) to discuss immunotherapy, this is theIV treatment for melanoma (they don’t do chemotherapy for melanoma). Doctor today thought she would likely need full body treatment, not just surgery, even if it hasn’t spread. She is young and the risk of the cancer coming back is highest in the next 2-3 years so doctor today recommended doing everything possible to try and prevent it from coming back.
-she won’t have to wear a wig. They will only shave the back of her head where they’ll do surgery!
-depending on how big the wound on her head is and what they have to do to get the wound closed will influence if the hair grows back in that spot or not.
Then, after she got the MRI of her brain and CTs of her neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis, they found a cyst in her brain causing hydrocephalus and her absent seizures. The appointment with neurosurgery is set for July 20th, the day before her close up surgery. There will be more doctoring for the cyst in the future.
Thank you all for your love and prayers! Continue to pray that we can accept Gods plan.
Dr Gilbert came in and said Erica can go home this afternoon after Dr Ratterman sees her (she's supposed to come in around noon). Appointment Monday with Dr Robbins, they'll let Erica know what time. No change in treatment plan. She'll go home on oral and topical steroids.
Also a follow-up with Nina in oncology next week. The nurse is going to check in with wound care before Erica goes home so she can best take care of her feet. They are going to see if there are any wraps so she can more easily get around.
Thank you for the prayers and continue to pray for us!
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