one more question about surgery tomorrow

Zachary, thanks.....we're back from the staple removal/path report discussion. You make a very good point...the lymph node is OUT, and he's going to be fine.

I'll start another thread for that.

Stephany in Iowa

My initial diagnosis before surgery? Just an invasive tumor.

The lymph node involvement came with the pathology report after the surgery was over. Of course the lymph node by that time was removed, as was your husband's. I had three rounds of chemo and as far as I can tell I'm perfectly fine.

I'm actually in better shape now than I was before the surgery.

When I last talked with Dr. Stein on February 21st (six-month checkup), he told me that USC/Norris was statistically getting better results because of the thoroughness and completeness of their procedures.

I didn't specifically ask him about clinical trials. But he was *very* adamant about how important it is to remove and test many lymph nodes. And he doesn't fool around when it does it.

Okay...
We all know the Z-man is a little weird... ;D

But
there's a wow on my mind as well.

Even though we 'are all different',
my total of nodes was limited to the 14
at the immediate site.

Cost was not near what they charged you Zack,

$ 820.00
$1,232.00
$1,026.00
$1,890.00
$ 648.00

for a total of $5,616.00

Of course not near as work for them as what you offered up.

BTW,
great advice on the items from home although
my hospital did furnish them... the cost was much higher,
and worse yet...I already owned all of it at home.

I would think the same about several items,
especially for the ladies with several weeks stay.

Could this be referring to doing a 'frozen section', sending to the path lab during the operation in order to check if the node removed, ureteral or other margins are clean?

Wow Zach...did the costs continue on for each lymph node removed? it's amazing they get reimbursed then!

Do you know if there are doing a clinical trial on the extensive nodal removal they're doing at USC and is it panning out? I ask because their approach is not yet accepted world wide because of lack of data and I sure hope they put it out there soon; I think they might be on to something.

Wendy