Fast forward to October 2019. I found out that I had a new type of cancer in my arm that was growing quickly. This was a sarcoma that was caused by the radiation that save my 10 years earlier. By this point, I thought I was out of the woods but learned a big lesson, NEVER take anything for granted.
After confirming with the doctor that it was indeed cancer and was growing at a very fast pace he scheduled me for surgery late November.
Prior to the October appointment, I started a WFPB diet again and was also juicing daily like a mad man. Guided by my good friend and mentor Fraser Bayley of Vegup (https://www.veguplife.com/) he gave me priceless advice and guidance through the few months leading up to surgery. This proved to be a true God send.
There were two possibilities going into surgery and I was prepared for both. The more likely scenario was to have my arm amputated at the shoulder blade, the other possibility was to remove the triceps, rear deltoid and flap the latissimus into the arm to try to give me some sort of strength into the arm. Keeping the arm was not a strong possibility but a possibility none the less.
First surgery this go around came on Tuesday 11/26/19, just two days before Thanksgiving. I went in with my wife early that morning, expecting honestly to awake without my right arm. To my surprise, I woke up in my hospital room with much of my upper arm and shoulder gone but the arm was in tact. I also carried around a wound vac for the next 6 days as we prepared for what I thought was going to be the final surgery. The reason for the wound vac was the doctors were getting inconclusive results from pathology, some were showing the cancer cells to be dead when they were thriving just one month earlier. More tests and consultations were to be discussed in the meantime.
Over the next 6 days, I had more time to think about the possibility of losing my arm. December 2, I went in again to so some exploratory surgery to see if they could find any live cancer cells. They finished the procedure, took more margins and sent me home as they ran more tests and further consultations from the leading specialists in the field.
My final surgery was scheduled for December 5, 2019 which was 2 days before my dad’s last birthday. Just so happens that he was also my best friend. Going into the surgery, I was still unsure of what was to happen. Surgery was schedule for the afternoon but I got a call super early that morning telling me to get dressed and get to the hospital, that the doctor was able to get me in first thing. My heart was racing as I was expecting this to be my last few hours with my right & dominant arm.
Bobbie (my wife) and I got to the hospital, dressed and prepped for surgery and ready for the amputation in my mind. We still were not given any clear direction so I was not hopeful. I literally had the IV in my arm and was minutes from going back when the doctor came in to deliver the news. He said “we cannot explain it but we do not plan to amputate!” I was overcome with emotion but still had no idea what to expect…. Post surgery post coming soon.