Just six days after declaring “major combat operations in my head have ended”, it appears not to be the case. Not for the first time, this phrase appears to have been premature. The fight against cancer has only begun. We will not fail. Some more information about how the surgery went down:
1. I have been running lately. Dr. Few informed me today that there is a space in my head where the tumor used to be (3 cm X 2 cm?). It is now a hole surrounded by exposed surfaces that have scabbed over. As my body starts to absorb the platelets, very delicate blood vessels will be exposed. If they rupture as a result of increased beart rate (cardio), they will bleed into my eye and I will go blind. No more running for a while.
2. Dr. Pelzer has informed me that the cancer was more extensive than they expected, and that I will definitely need radiation therapy. Dr. Agulnik’s guestimation will be approximately 6 weeks of daily radiation. To paraphrase, he told me the side effects will suck battleship because the radiation will be so close to my brain. I should expect extreme nauseau and fatigue. The radiation may damage or destroy my vision temporarily or permanently because of its proximity to my eye.
3. More discouragement: Dr. Few took out my stitches today. The effect was underwhelming. I still can’t see a damn thing, because now the swelling is keeping my eye shut. I thought my eye was going to pop open when he unstitched my eyelid. Not the case. He reminded my of the seriousness of my operation and that it would be at lease six weeks before my eye reopened. Awesome.
4. These are some setbacks, but my determination moves proportionate with adversity. I was focused on the surgery as the war on cancer, but it was just the prep fire bombardment. It’s time for fire team rushes…no one ever won a war through air power, somebody has to go claim real estate.
Next update will be tomorrow…Drs. Pelzer and Agulnik are meeting to hammer out the scope of my treatment plan with pathology data from the surgery.
AUTHOR: Gen Douglas MacArthur, US Army
QUOTATION: Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seems to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.
ATTRIBUTION: On receiving West Point’s Sylvanus Thayer Award for service to the nation, 12 May 62
To the most courageous man that I know. You have the strength to make it all work. Mom
Comment by Anonymous — January 4, 2007 @ 03:02
This may be far from over, but we're even further from giving in! Let us know when you know more about the rad schedule. We're here for you!!
Joy
Comment by Anonymous — January 5, 2007 @ 00:26