I have created this blog to record updates and changes to my medical condition. I also plan to post occasional thoughts and feelings that I have along the way.
First the basic facts. I was diagnosed last Thursday with a tumor in my abdomen. There are obviously more details than that, but for now I choose to keep most of them private. I will say that it is a very serious condition; the tumor is over 2 centimeters in diameter, and in an unfortunate location. The good news is that it has not spread to any other areas.
I found out yesterday that Johns Hopkins is recommending me for treatment. The treatment will be to try to shrink the tumor by radiation and chemotherapy and then remove it by surgery. I have an appointment on June 2nd to discuss the treatment details, but until then all I can do is speculate what they will be,
My intention is to keep most of my thoughts and feelings out of this blog, and stick mostly to facts and updates. Yet I am sure that my readers will understand that the past week, in which we were given a stream of news that grew bleaker each day, has been a nightmare of unprecedented scope for me and for Allison. My life has taken on a color I could never have imagined. It was only with yesterday's update that the first rays of hope appeared on the horizon. I am optimistic now that I will be able to beat this thing and resume my life.
One thing became very clear to me over the past week: that there are many, many people from my life who I love dearly, many of whom I have not seen or spoken to in way too long. I know now that I will want to see you to tell you how much you have meant to me, regardless of what happens from here. It will be the silver lining to this cloud that has come over my life.
Your first post reminds me of how it was around here as my wife and I were working through her diagnosis, over five years ago now. Familiar territory. However, our journeys will likely diverge down somewhat different paths from there I think.
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