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In Memory
of Our Precious Codi Bug We are sad to have to tell you all that Codi passed away at 12:52 am on September 23, 2003. Our precious Codi on Earth is now our precious Angel Codi in Heaven. Beginning of Codi's Original Site About OsteosarcomaOsteosarcoma is a cancer that starts in the bone - usually in the arm or the leg, but it can occur anywhere. The cause is unknown, but it primarily affects children and young adults. It is frequently discovered after an injury to a bone in the arm or leg. While we may think of bone as hard or "dead," it is really a living tissue made up of living cells. Like other cells, bone cells can become cancerous.
Pain in a bone is the most common complaint of patients with osteosarcoma. At first, the pain is not constant and may be worse at night. The pain gets worse with activity and may result in a limp if a leg is involved. Swelling in the area of the pain may not occur until weeks later. Depending on the location of the tumor, it may be possible to feel a lump or mass. Although the cancer may weaken the bone it develops in, the bones do not usually break. If certain symptoms suggest osteosarcoma, the doctor will use one or more methods to find out if the disease is really present. After taking a medical history and doing a physical exam, one or more of the following tests will be done:
Treatment varies depending on size, location, and how much it has spread, but frequently chemotherapy is used. Also surgery is performed to remove the bone that is affected by the tumor. In my case surgery called rotationplasty was performed on my left leg. This surgery involves amputation of the leg above the knee, and removal of the foot with the ankle, which is then turned around and attached where the amputation was performed. This allows the ankle to function as a knee joint. Although the chemotherapy has not worked to get rid of the cancer, we are hopeful that Depsipeptide does. Depsipeptide is a new and exciting advance in medical science to fight cancer. Selected Osteosarcoma and Related LinksFrom the National Institutes of Health
General/Overviews
Clinical Trials
Diagnosis/Symptoms
Pictures/Diagrams
Prevention/Screening
Research
Specific Conditions/Aspects
Treatment
Dictionaries/Glossaries
Organizations
Statistics
Children
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Copyright © 2003 - 2006 for Codi Frazier. All Rights Reserved.
E-Mail Me: codi@codibug.com
