Latest meeting with my surgeon

I met my surgeon for the 2nd time on monday 24th August to discuss the surgical options for my leg and make a final decision on what was going to happen. Mr Grimer explained to me that there were 3 options

Option 1 was to remove the fibula bone, part of my shin bone and remove the tumour. This would leave me with a unstable ankle. He explained i would find it hard walking on rough surfaces and going up hills and would have to have a splint under my sock to support my leg.

Option 2 would involve the same removal procedure as option 1 buit Mr Grimer would also fuse my ankle joint to my shin bone leaving me with a stiff ankle. I would be able to move my ankle side to side but not up and down.

Also both options 1 and 2 would involve post-operation radiotherapy because of the location of the tumour which has some nasty side effects to the healthy bones surrounding the tumour.

I have decided to go with option 3. This is a below knee amputation, this may seem odd to alot of people as some people say they would rather die than have an amputation. The amputation is the best option clinically, physically and post-operative. It is the best option clinically because it removes the diseased part of my body and tumour completely. Physically it is the best option because with a prosthetic leg i will have better mobility than with what would be left of my right ankle joint. It is also the best option for after the operation because i wont have to have any radiotherapy.

Its not everyday you have to decide between having an amputation or having a limp and stiff ankle for the rest of your life. In the end it wasnt a hard decision for me because at 20 years old i dont want to have limited movement i would rather have a false leg and be able to do everything i want to like football, running and cycling.

I wouldnt have thought 8 months ago i would have to decided that having an amputation is the best medical option for me. Ive come to terms with it and will be walking as soon physcially possible after the operation

Matt

Time to let off abit of steam

Ive looked back at the blogs i have published since my diagnosis and ive come to realise i havent told you all how i actually feel about having this shit disease. I have just described treatment procedures and put on a front to the world. Dont get me wrong im positive and know in my heart i will beat the cancer it may take over my life for 9 months but ill be the one that wins in the end.

I do however have alot of resentful and angry feelings about life in general i ask myself questions such as why me? what have i done? look at all the sickos in the world and still i wouldnt wish this on anyone. The one thing cancer and chemotherapy does more than anything is make you think about life about what you have done so far, plans for the future, ive set myself alot of goals recently and once my chemos over who knows what the next few years brings so im gunna live life to its full potential and make sure i dont waste a single day by saying things like "ill do it tommorow" or "i cant be bothered". Which in the past were two of my favourite phrases.

Anyway i dont want to open up to much for now
Thanks for reading
Matt

4th chemo

Hey people,
Ive just finished my 4th chemotherapy and had no problems no sickness tiredness minimal im doing ok. Physically i feel healthy and also i got to leave hospital a day early this time.

I just have one worry and thats the operation and the 6 weeks following the op. Ino once i get through that period of time its defo the start of my new life and rehabilation and physio to get back to fitness. Dont worry im not going to rant about how worried i am its not my style ill deal with it in my own way and im sure ill feel better about it soon enough.

Thats all for now
Matthew

First meeting with the limb fitters and next fundraiser

Hey everyone on weds 12th August i had my first meeting with the physio and limb fitting people at Seacroft hospital. Although i was unfazed by meeting them my dad told me afterwards he didnt like it one bit and didnt like the situation. The purpose of the meeting was to tell me what my operation would entail if i was having an amputation and the rehabilatation and physio involved afterwards

The doctor told me my amputation is called a trans-fibial amuputation and the operation was straight forward and would involve wrapping the muscle around the bottom of what was left of my lower leg and this would take 6 weeks to heal. During this 6 week period i would have to spend most of my time in my wheelchair to keep the wound elevated and also i would lose my sense of balance on crutches and would have to learn this again through physio. During this initial 6 week period i would attend physio twice a week at Seacroft and take part in balancing exerices and also learn to weight bare on my amputated right leg.

Once the wound has healed i will get my first prosthetic fitted which involves a casting of my right leg and then fitting the prosthetic onto the moulded cast. This initial leg would be used for the next 8 weeks of rehab and i would slowly learn to walk on it and attend physio twice a week while gradually building up my usage of the prosthetic over the 8 week period.

Over the next 12 to 24 months i will be constantly having my prosthetic adjusted as the swelling on my right leg reduces. I will also learn how to run and was given the fantastic news i would be able to take part in 5 aside football as i learned to use my prostheitc better. As time bases the type of prosthetic i use will improve and be made to suit my needs. I have already stated to the limb fitting people that i need a leg that allows me to run for athletics and also play football. My aim now is to lead the lads out and nexts years charity football fundraiser.

On the fundraising front the next idea in the pipeline is a charity dinner next june 19th. This is going to be at the KC Stadium in Hull and the price of a ticket is £30 the popularity of the event is great already and the event is expected to sell out quickly.

Anyway ill blog again soon about my 4th chemo

Thanks
Matt

Football charity event 2nd August 2009

This blog is all about the amazing chairty event on the 2nd August. The event organised by my friend David Mills was phenominal it consisted of a charity football match between 2 teams one put together by me and the other put together by David. In addition to this there was a raffle, auction, tshirt selling, my nepthew Willem sold some of his old toys and my family also organised a bake sale.

Now to the thank yous i would like to thank my family individually my mum Margaret, dad Paul, step dad Terry, step mum Sylvia, brothers Phil, Chris, Martin, Paul, sisters Hayley and Julie, other family members Stephen, Mitchell, Julia, Sam, Michelle, Julie, Willem, Jessica, Megan, Emily, Thomas, Willem, Megan, Thomas, Katie, Auntie Margaret, Grandad, Uncle Keith, Jennifer, Elizabeth, Richard, Phil, Sandra, Auntie Maureen

Also a big thank you to all the lads that played in the match and my friends and family friends that helped raise money and set up the event.

In total the money raised from the event was £2295 which is a fantastic effort and we hope to to make the event annual.

Post 3rd chemotherapy

I have now completed 3 sessions of chemotherapy and although the treatment is working the side effects are starting to effect me. The hair loss thing may only seem a minor problem but its the one thing that has upset me the most. I just dont feel i look like myself sometimes but ino and keep telling myself that my hair will grow back. I did ok in hospital for this chemotherapy no real problems just the whole tiredness thing again. Hoping i dont end up in hospital with an infection this time so fingers crossed.