Amy's Cancer Story

Since May 1st, 2021, when I was on a driving vacation, I have had a strange wound on my right leg. Below the knee. This is on the outside of where some of the hardware is for my knee replacement. It was about the size of a nickel or a little bigger. It started as a large red round bump. This was the time that my cancer mutated. I went to my bone oncologist upon arriving home mid may or so. He was not sure what it was and did not appear to have infection. Later in June, the wound started to flatten a little. Then in July it changed to partly white with super tiny veins going through it. I had doctors continuing to check it out. Then in September the wound started to scab. Then the scab was in the middle white/wound of mucous looking stuff. My Primary care doctor, Dr M, thought it may be a venous ulcer so he had it wrapped in an UNA boot for 3-4 weeks. This is a pink mesh wrap covered in antibiotics. It did not help. By this time it was November, Dr M, wanted me to get over to a Pittsburgh wound center in Cranberry Twp, PA.

The center took a biopsy and culture. Biopsy was negative for cancer and positive for bacteria, so I was put on an antibiotic which did help the little pain and redness go down. After my third visit, my plastic surgeon, Dr W, determined that the skin in the wound was totally dead. The skin will never heal so said she wanted to operate with a muscle flap and skin graph. Believe it or not, I had one of these procedures done in 2008 for an infection that developed from a surgery on my knee.

On December 30th surgery was able to be scheduled. It was a blessing that I could wait until after Christmas and My guests headed home. My bone oncologist, also Dr W, was able to be in the surgery with the plastics doctor so he was able to make sure my bone was healthy and not dead. He was so surprised that things were very good in there that he did not have to do anything. Great News! Many people and several churches were praying for me.

Now (and again) I have an infectious disease Dr that will be working through getting rid of some of the bacteria in the wound area. They are going to be aggressive with this so they can save my leg.

I am hoping to go home tomorrow. It was required that I keep my leg straight and a wound vac on my leg for 5 days after surgery. The infectious disease Dr said there is another bacteria growing and they hope to have more info on that one tomorrow.

It is great that several of these doctors have worked together on my case and have had some conference calls due to each having an important part in my treatment.

There are photos of my wound and I will spear you those.

Right now these Dr.’s are active in my treatment

Plastic Surgeon and her PA

Bone Oncologist

Regular Oncologist

Primary Care Dr

Infectious Disease Dr