Surgery Scheduled for March 30

Well, we went to Vandy yesterday about 12:45 and didn’t get home until after 7pm. Thank you Beth and Stephaine for taking Maddie to soccer. Thank you to the McMains for taking care of Cole Booney.  Trace had a CT scan and MRI (with and without contrast) then we saw the surgeon. The surgeon didn’t look at the scans, so we don’t know anything about them. I am hoping the oncologist will look at them and let us know the results sometime during our stay Thursday-Saturday.

The surgery is scheduled for March 30 early am. The plans are to remove the left scapula (some of the bottom may be left). We won’t know if radiation is needed until after surgery. (the pathologist will check the edges of the bone removed and if they are clear of cancer no radiation- if they are not – radiation) The surgeon thinks Trace will be in the hospital for 3-5 days after surgery. A physical therapist is already seeing Trace and will continue after the surgery. I called her PT and Trace told the triplets his “personal trainer” was coming. The triplets want a piece of the personal trainer action already.

The surgeon said Trace will lose most of the muscles which move the arm up. (once you raise your arm to shoulder height, after that point the shoulder muscles kick in and those are the muscles which will not have a scapula to be attached to any longer) He should not have to have any of the clavicle removed. They said he will lose “about half” of his strength on the left side (shoulder strength). Trace decided in the elevator on the way out that this wasn’t so bad, “unless I am falling off a cliff and I have to hang on with my left arm”. Chris said he was only worried if Trace was hanging on with his right arm and had to hold him with his left arm to keep him from falling. 🙂 

We are scheduled for round number 5 tomorrow and the 6th and final round of this first set the last weekend in Feb. Thank you for all of your prayers.

The Kimlers