Some of the Earliest Symptoms of Soft Tissue Sarcoma

One of the questions people have when I tell them about this rare cancer, is “What were the symptoms that Mathew had before he was diagnosed?”

There is no one answer to that question. What were the symptoms at what point in time? What were the earliest symptoms? Hard to tell for certain, but in retrospect, I would say they started in High School.

A serious of odd medical conditions with no real answer.

In High School, he had pain in his groin and the fear was that between karate and high jumping in cheerleading one summer, that he had twisted his vas deferens an ultrasound of his testicles was done and nothing was seen.

But later, he had similar symptoms, locking up of his left hip and pain which eventually affected his left leg. When his cancer was diagnosed it was wrapped around his kidney and renal artery.

2. He had a back injury in wrestling, nothing serious, but they wanted an x-ray to be certain. There was a spot on his lung, they were afraid it was TB. He went to see a pulmonologist who performed more tests and said no TB.

Again, when his cancer was diagnosed, it was wrapped around his spine.

3. After High School graduation Mathew moved out of our house and stayed in a little apartment on some land we owned, just 5 miles away. He told me he suffered from insomnia because of restless leg, which he attributed to an anti-anxiety prescription he had taken, which he discontinued hoping the restless leg would stop.

4. June 2010, he was rear-ended and suffered back pain. He was told it was muscle pain, but it never really went away. At one time he told me he had the feeling of electricity running up his spine at times.

Yes, he was seeing a doctor at this time. I don’t mention it much, because it just makes me angry.

These are just a few things that come to mind at this time. As I think back more will come.

My next post will be an entry from Mathew’s Journal, written three weeks before his admission to the hospital. He wrote about the symptoms that had made his life miserable for the year or more before his diagnosis.

Replace the 3 Lumen Pic Line with a Port

Mathew's 3 Lumen Pic Line was replaced with a Power P.A.C. Both Mathew and I were given Medical I.D. cards to carry at all times. I have mentioned before that texting from the DRC is almost impossible. The staff told me it used to be the X-ray department so the walls are leaded. Again, the phone tree would have helped so much. I texted the following information to my niece, my sister and Mathew’s Dad and Stepmom. And probably Joseph and Carlos. I know that could have been reduced to two texts, three at the most. At the time I didn’t know about group messaging as my phone was an old Android. Texts Between me and Diane Hi. We are at the hospital early because Mat is in a lot of pain. We think the bill stent may have moved. Sent 3-31-14 Because he was NPO for other procedure they should be able to fix today. Sent 3-31-14 In the DRC sending texts is almost impossible so if you don’t hear from me for a while don’t worry. If ...

A Cancer Poem by Mathew Rodgers 2014

From Mathew’s Journal 4-5-14 “I lie awake in my pain bed metallic noises chirping from my strange computer companion”

Thoracentesis to Remove Fluid on the Lung

2-28-15 From the Notebook Fluid on right side of lung Needs to be drained, done from the back Can be done bedside Send out for testing CAUSE? could be a bodily reaction - most likely this because fluid wasn’t present when he arrived or could be tumor has entered the lung. Mathew had been complaining about his right shoulder hurting (this was from the fluid on his lung). He thought it was from the previous October when he was taken by ambulance from work when they thought he was having seizures. He wondered if the EMT's had hurt his shoulder when restraining him. He will reference this in his music and writing. A local oncologist is brought in who says he will be starting Mathew’s treatment. More news on the diagnosis: -Neg for lymphoma -not traditional carcinoma -uncommon sarcoma -pancreas -looking for rare cancers Again my ignorance, I thought that a rare cancer would get more results. Backward thinking. Here is a photo of t...

Confections For Cats

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