February 26-28: Post op

By morning the pain was a little better and I was able to get up and walk down the hall.  By mid morning I had seen the surgery team as well as endocrinology team and I was on track to be discharged.  Shortly before the scheduled discharge Dr Cassivi came back in to see me alone.....without his so called entourage.  He came back alone to talk to Eric and I about being written up for educational purposes. He really felt that if we could get my “story” out in medical publications it could change the way.  He also pulled up images of the thymus gland they removed as well as the tumor inside it. We were able to talk a little more about the procedure and our plan going forward. At this point our plan seemed pretty darn straight forward. Monitor sodium one week and two weeks post op, video follow up conference call in four weeks. Imaging later this spring and summer and another video call after that.  The likelihood of regrowth of gland or tumor would decrease the longer I go without it reoccurring. I was  directed to go to the ED the minute I notice Any signs or symptoms  of sodium dropping.  No work for six weeks, no lifting anything more than 5 pounds, no bending, reaching, stretching for 6 weeks. No driving for two weeks (although I haven't driven since Dec 18th anyway, with unpredictable sodium levels i couldn't run the risk of it dropping and then seizing  while driving).  Dr Cassivi made it very clear that his patients are his until death his or the patients and that he follows them closely. He states that he would collaborate with everyone else and get something out to me to sign to release medical records for research ASAP. We said our goodbyes and he left and I got discharged to hotel for a other night.  On Friday we went for labs and headed home......17 days after we left.

The flight home was rough and we had to utilize airline wheelchair escort because my strength and well my pace was not up to up to par for maneuvering through an airport two days post thoracic surgery. Not to mention there was this “corona thing” that was starting to get a lot of attention lately.

Thymus gland showing tumor