new surgery scheduled

A lot has happened since the last post.  I waited to post for a long time because there were unsettled issues with schedules and work and since I don't have much control over who reads the blog (and don't want to), I postponed.  Then things started settling out and I couldn't find the time.  Thanks to another chemo treatment, however, I am up later than I'd like to be and thought I'd spend my last minutes of consciousness updating this here blog.

So what is all this schedule nonsense of which he writes?  Since my last post, in April, there have been some important developments in my treatment.  I visited Carol Shields at Jefferson Hospital, recommended to me as the best eye doctor in Philly.  She thought I was getting the best care possible already at HUP but brought up an issue that had been lingering in the back of my mind : removing the eye, sometime in the future when other options have been exhausted.  

I returned to HUP with this idea and ended up speaking with Dr. Judy who had a different idea: another craniotomy, this time with the intention of removing tumor from the frontal bone and doing it as soon as possible.  He is hoping to remove all visible tumor which would put me in a much better position, to say the least.  That was a Tuesday towards the end of May.  Michelle and I mulled this one over but when my employer laid off about 1/4 of our staff on Thursday, I decided it was not the right time to ask for a month or more off of work.

Weeks passed, including one in which I was unable to get chemo because our new, less expensive, health insurance wasn't ready to cover me.  Despite the frustration of fighting with the health insurance company, that was the best I've felt all year.

Faced with the trade-off of losing my livelihood or risking my life, I've been cautious in making plans for this surgery.  Fortunately, my good luck has held out with regard to my tumor remaining stable through the last two chemo cycles.  In the meantime, we scheduled surgery for the last possible time we felt comfortable with it: September 28.

Also in the meantime, my Step-mother Ina passed away after a recurrence of lymphoma.  She died on July 4, Independence Day and Michelle and I joined the rest of her children and several others for a viewing on Sunday, July 5 in the Cleveland area.

Quite a week

Well, most of this is not related to my health but it's been quite a week thus far.

First of all, everyone should know I lost my cell phone which means I might not have your phone number any more. I'm borrowing an old phone from a friend while I find the right phone for myself, so please do not call me in the next couple weeks thinking that I now have your number again because I'm not going to keep the phone I'm borrowing. The best would be to email me with your info if you think I don't have it.

Second, my friend with pancreatic cancer passed away on Tuesday morning. It's hardly a surprise and I'm glad that I got to see him resting peacefully on Sunday afternoon, but it is sad nonetheless that the world has lost another beautiful spirit like his. I will, unfortunately, miss the viewing and funeral next Tuesday because I'll be in California for work.

Next, this is a chemo week for me, so, well, I don't feel very good.

Last but not least, there was that whole election thing. I am cautiously optimistic about the changes and I feel like there's some room to breathe again.

That's enough for now.