After
a long wait, many prodding phone calls, another MRI, and a telephone interview
with a nurse, we finally have a surgery date: Friday,
Nov.21 - next week.
We are eager to have surgery behind us. Removal should be the cure to Mark's cancer. Radiation has prepped the surgery site, inactivating the cancer so that removal will be safe (it was not expected to shrink the tumour but to "reduce the margins"). A skilled surgeon will be excising Mark's right gluteous maximus - the major butt muscle (yes, this is called a buttockectomy). Surgery will take 3 - 4 hours. No interference with nerves is expected. No implants will be necessary to fill the void (though I offered to donate!). No significant changes in function are expected.
Mark should be able to walk with a cane shortly after surgery. Recovery will take several weeks, and physiotherapy is likely needed to train the other muscles to compensate. There will be a lot of lying on his stomach (great for the disc bulges!) and side.
We know that this battle is not our own. This battle belongs to the Lord.
We rest in His shadow.
S
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