The planned trip was the trip to Franklin, TN to see a surgeon about reexicision of the area around Woody's mole. What we learned: 1) It is an aggressive form of melanoma (not a surprise to us since it had grown so quickly). 2) It may have nothing to do with Woody's original melanoma (Woody feels that it isn't). It may have been just a dormant melanoma on the skin that was awakened by something...perhaps a trauma...like the fall that Woody had. 3) Dr. Kelley wants Woody to have a complete body PET scan before he does anything. 4) If this is the only place then he will reexcise the area. 5) If other places show up on the PET scan then he will have Dr. Wyman, Woody's melanoma doctor at Vanderbilt, make the decision as to what to do next. 6)Due to Woody's history, Dr. Kelley didn't think that needs to remove a lymph node (one reason it would be hard for Woody and the doctor due to Woody's frozen shoulder...it can be done but not easily and in this situation since Woody has a history of melanoma already that he doesn't think that it is necessary). 7) Dr. Kelley wants all procedures to be done at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville as all of Woody's melanoma history is in that facility. We felt very comfortable with Dr. Kelley. He worked under Dr. Sossman when Dr. Sossman was Woody's melanoma doctor. He was very familiar with all the procedures that Woody has had. Dr. Kelley mentioned today that back 13 years ago when all this began for Woody that only 5-10% of metestatic melanoma patients survived even a year (usually 8 months or less). That percentage has risen considerably in the years since...much more success with melanoma patients due to latest research and discoveries. Woody has ridden right along with those new discoveries...we'll now see what is next for him! Our dirve to Franklin was beautiful...but mainly at the beginning of the trip. The snow that fell over night had covered the trees and it was just beautiful...once we got a ways out of Tullahoma the snow got less and less. The roads were clear the whole way. The top two pictures are from the drive to Franklin this morning. The bottom photo was from the unplanned trip. We stopped at Marie's house on our way home as I had left my cell phone in her car. When I got it from her, she mentioned that she would like to go out and see if she could get some barns in any snow that might be left. I showed an interest in such a trip. I told her I would go home and get Woody's dialysis started and to let me know. Carolyn could do it if we went at 3pm so I headed back to Marie's to be there at 3pm and we went across the street and picked up Carolyn. I got back home a little before dark (a little before 5). We just went in a circle close to Marie and Carolyn's homes. The snow was mostly gone, but we still got some pretty barns on a very wintry day. The bottom photo is from the unplanned barn trip. I forgot to add last night that it was the start of my 13th year of blogging...so...what we are getting "back into" at Vanderbilt was just starting for Woody 12 years ago. As I said the other night...been there, done that! I guess I have shared quite a bit in 12 years of blogging. I never dreamed that I would still be blogging 12 years later...especially never dreamed that I would be writing a blog that was taking us back to the beginning of our journey at Vanderbilt. That journey started December 26, 2008: our first appointment with Dr. Sossman...and the rest is history!!! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Good Covid 19 news: Cheryl, my favorite (and only) sister, tested negative for Covid.
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