Joseph Szopa
Joe Szopa Cycle Rutland Water. 6th of June 2015
Fundraising for Sarcoma UK
Story
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My story begins in July 2012, I was on the Isle of Wight on a family holiday. Sitting in the garden of our rented house for the week enjoying the sunshine, a glass of wine I decided to ask my partner Sarah what she thought of the small lump in my arm, you could see it just under the skin above my elbow. Of course her reaction was to say I should get it checked out, both Sarah and I lost our fathers to cancer and Sarah is very careful and sensible in these maters.It took sometime to find the time for a doctors appointment but eventually I managed to pull my finger out and make some space in my diary and pop to the docs, his reaction was as Sarah's, he wanted it checking out and a referral was made.
In the November of 2012 after X rays an ultrasound and a MRI I was diagnosed with Sarcoma in my right arm, a rare cancer which accounts for only one percent of diagnosed cancers. The whirlwind began and Robert Ashford my consultant booked me in for surgery in 3 days time for an excision of the tumour.
All went well and I took my self home to recover and get ready for Christmas. A positive margin was gained but due to the tumour siting on a nerve ii was referred for a course of radio therapy in the new year.
January came pretty quick, and over the following six weeks I would turn up at the Osbourne Building at the LRI each day for a blast of radio therapy. I was given the highest dose possible to ensure we got it for good. 3 monthly check ups were to be scheduled.
Almost a year to the day in November 2013 I knocked my arm on the side of my bed, I felt a very memorable pain, a searing shock which I remembered well from the biopsy I had had a year earlier, I kept it to myself I was pretty sure what it was. A few days later I was complaining of some ailment to Sarah, she suggest I go to the doctors surgery, when I agreed straight away she was very suspicious as to the ease of my agreement. I told her of my knock and that was that I was at the health centre the very next morning.
A few scans later I was sat in Mr Ashfords consultation room yet again, I had a reoccurrence within the field of radiation, bells started ringing and all were concerned by the cancers radio resistance. It was like ground hog day, the next week I was again admitted, the tumour removed and I had time to recover before Christmas kicked in.
Next steps were tricky, what options did we have to ensure we didn't have a second reoccurrence? None, after many referrals and consultation it was decided we would wait for the second. If and when it occurred we would hit it hard with an ILP, this is where chemo is administered directly in the arm, due to it not being systemic much higher doses can be given.
Six months down the line, I felt that familiar pain in my arm. My friend was back! This time he has sent a buddy of his to make a home in my left lung. Once again I was under the knife. This time I was making friends with a new consultant, a chest surgeon, my circle of Sarcoma buddies was growing. The tumour was removed and I went home to yet again recover, this time though it wasn't the end of the battle. I had 6 weeks to get ready for my ILP. A visit to The Royal Marsden saw a date go in the diary and off we went. Mid August Sarah and I got on a train to London with packed bags for the next few days. Once again I woke up in a recovery room, bright white and well lit, this time I went to HDU for the night to monitor me and ensure I had coped with the treatment.
All went well until I'd been at home for a few days, it was a Sunday and we were expecting family for lunch. My brother was bringing over but I didn't get to taste it. I was rushed to The LRI with an infection or reaction to the ILP. A further two weeks were spent there with it ending up very much like home with my cancer buddies that I met.
Six weeks later I got the news that Unfortunately my ILP hadn't worked, on the bright side my chest was still clear. I would be again heading to the hospital to remove the third tumour from my arm. This time though my arm would go with it. That's right, the only surgical option left to us was amputation. Yet again I'd come home to recover just in time for Christmas. After the turkey and minced pies I would start systemic chemotherapy. January and the chemotherapy suite soon came, a baseline CT scan was taken and guess what? Yes my friend was back again, this time in my right lung.
I'm almost at the end of my chemotherapy treatment and I'm pleased to say we have had positive results.
As my dad always said " it's tough at the top" he also taught me to work hard and keep going no matter how tough so keep fighting is the order of the day! With the help of some close friends we hope to raise as much awareness and of course cash which will help Sarcoma UK and Sarcoma patients.
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