This is actually happening

My appointment at the Duke Cancer Center yesterday went as well as I could have possibly expected. I walked away with a firm plan, as well as confidence in the surgeon who will operate on me May 2.

I consented to a much larger surgery than originally anticipated, but the surgeon’s reasoning lines up with my goals for the future. I am at peace with the following:

• Exploratory laparotomy

• Total abdominal hysterectomy

• Left-salpingo-oophorectomy

• Debulking (removal of visible tumors)

• Abdominal wall resection

• Possible bowel resection

• Possible ostomy

Actual surgery time will be set the day before the procedure. Expected hospitalization ranges from two days to one week.

At this point my medical team and I are in agreement that I will not have chemotherapy after the procedure, but if biopsies of different tumors reveal anything other than GCT, there is still the possibility that chemo could be warranted.

So, yes, there are still many questions about the future, but I do feel that I have finally found a firm plan with the expertise needed for my unusual situation.