TL;DR: No cancer. Surgery over the summer.
Details: PHEW! What a day. I learned a lot! For starters, this thing is big. We knew it was 100 x 70 mm (about 4 x 2.75 inches). But my pulmonology consult indicated it's more like 5 inches. Good news first: The PET scan showed no cancer. Obviously they don't know for sure until the grapefruit - now known as the pomelo because of its size - is in for pathology under a microscope. But all indications from scans are that it is benign.
No biopsy needed. It's a wasted step to get to the same conclusion - it has to come out. No genetic testing because that's only done for targeted therapy for chemo. The surgery needed is called a thoracotomy. It's a large incision on the side. The pomelo is too big for robotic surgery. I should not lose any lung if it is contained, as it appears to be on the scans. The best time to do the surgery is whenever it makes sense in my life. For me, that means finishing out the semester and making it to summer break. The surgery requires three days in the hospital. I'll wake up with a chest drainage tube. Leaving the hospital is dependent on removing the tube and managing the pain. Then the recovery is 8 weeks. One could watch and wait if it were smaller, but with a pomelo sized tumor - it's gotta come out soon. Interestingly enough, my pulmonary function test was normal for someone of my age, sex, height, weight, etc. My oxygen saturation is okay for me. 92%. I always hover in the low 90s unless I take really focused deep breaths. The scarring in my lungs is likely from multiple respiratory infections and not related to the pomelo. The pomelo is also not responsible for the long recoveries from the upper respiratory infections. I should continue to use my CPAP. There's no need to increase lung capacity...but I plan to use my incentive spirometer anyway.
Probably the most interesting news is that, unlike the CT interpretation, the pomelo did not arise from the lung nodule seen on the 2012 scan. It's a different entity. The nodule is still there. The pomelo is adjacent to it. The 2012 nodule is a touch bigger and still "benign and mostly stable." It must have been lonely and decided to have a friend move in next door. Sigh.
My pulmonology expert recommended a particular surgeon. I have a consult with him in late April via video conference. Then we'll schedule surgery based on the surgeon's availability and also after school is done for the school year.
It feels very good to have a game plan! It feels amazing to have been lifted in prayer by so many wonderful people. I could literally feel the prayers...could feel the angels around me. I was disciplined and did not look at the PET results last night. I'm glad I waited and got the expert's interpretation, along with him showing me the images. It was fascinating to see the scan results and to learn more about this pomelo.
I did do some research on where to have a surgery like this done. Options were LA, New York and Mayo, with Mayo at the top of the list. So, yes, I will go to Rochester, MN for the surgery. I did have the expert look at my chest X-Ray from November 4th - and there the pomelo is - plain as day.
I'm part way home now - about a third of the way. I'm tired. I was up frequently last night with a lot on my mind. With that weight mostly lifted (I'm not thrilled about a major surgery [number 11] and a long recovery), I will sleep well tonight and finish the drive home tomorrow. God is good...all the time. All the time...God is good.
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