Gail’s Story: My story began on January 7, 2020, when I noticed a lump on my right hand at the base of my middle finger. After seeing three doctors, the consensus was that it appeared to be a ganglion cyst and that we would do surgery to remove it. Needless to say, I was shocked when the pathology report came back with a diagnosis of myxofibrosarcoma, high grade. After that call, everything moved quickly.
My doctor in Atlanta referred me to a specialist and within a week I was on an airplane heading to Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. I had a meeting with Dr. Athanasian, a series of tests performed, and a discussion about the amputation of my middle finger. I was told that given the location of the tumor, grade, and size, removing my finger was the only way to save my hand in the future. The following week I was back in New York preparing for surgery and on March 11, 2020, my life changed forever.
Now when I look down at my right hand, I’m reminded that I am a survivor and that each day is a gift.
