Dermatologist visit and Dr. Tricot's letter

I saw Dr. Rolfe Horsley, dermatology specialist, yesterday one year after the last visit when he opined that yearly visits would suffice. (Last October I had gone to him one month early because I wanted him to inspect my scalp before the hair grew back.) Yesterday he cut off a growth that was on the side of my right arm above the elbow and out of sight for me except by seeing it in a mirror. I would sometimes feel it when I rolled over in bed and had been somewhat concerned for months. He described it as some kind of horn and said that such growths can be skin cancers so he will send the growth off for an examination. He also cut off a growth on my left cheek, which has been there almost from the time I last saw him. He didn't say what it was and did not seem to be saving it for examination. He also froze 3 scabby areas on my left temple and suggested that I come back in 6 months.


Dr. Tricot writes a letter to Dr. Corcoran, the oncologist who reluctantly referred me to the Huntsman Cancer Institute, with copies to me, Dr. Kuo (the internist both Emma and I see) and Dr. Shah at the end of every third maintenance cycle. Most of each letter is copied from the text of the second such letter that he wrote and only the last one or two paragraphs contain any new information. The latest letter, which came in Saturday's mail, only said that we are making slow progress and included the notice that he was adding a daily dose of thalidomide to my drug protocol. He had told me that my progress, although continuing, was slower then he wanted it to be and maybe the daily dose of thalidomide would help speed up my progress. He wants to see me again at the end of the 12th cycle, which will be December 19, but I probably will have a bone marrow biopsy and either a MRI or a PET/CT scan during that week and then see the doctor on December 20, which may or may not be the beginning of another series of maintenance cycles.


Emma is going regularly to the Cottonwood Recreation center for an aquasize class and the exercise is making her ankle more flexible. It stiffens up when she sits on the couch to watch the television news or if she falls asleep on the couch and she then has to flex it before she can walk. The CellCept pills and the topical salve have solved the skin problems that she had and she has no side effects from them.