Thanks

 

Monday, March 30, 2009

 

As I prepare to embark on phase two of my treatment, I want to pause and express thanks. First, I want to thank my wife, Deirdre. Without her emotional and physical care and support, I could not have made it though the last seven weeks.  She gets me where I need to go, does what needs to be done, deals with all that needs dealing with. She is amazing. I am humbled and grateful for her care.

Second, my son Harry continues to show remarkable courage for a kid facing such an extreme shock to his world. I could not be more grateful for his managing to be there both to lean on and make me laugh.

Finally, I thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. We have received many cards, many gifts of food and treats, and appreciate every single one of them. I enter the fight knowing that I have the strongest team in the world standing in my corner. Thank You!

Treatment Update

 

Monday, March 30, 2009

I have follow-up visits with the docs at Duke on Thursday afternoon, at which we will settle on a chemo treatment schedule. What seems to be a delay is actually a benefit in that it may open the door for use of drugs not normally used after brain surgery, but which might now be adapted for me in my individual circumstances. I will post details. Meanwhile, I plan to resume a fairly normal work schedule this week. Home will be in a bit of a hub-bub, however, since the laundry room is finally moving upstairs.

Update 3/27

Stardate – Durham, NC, 7:00 AM:  It was a dark and dreary and thoroughly miserable morning for the usual assortment of formerly rabid, smug, self-important and overly confident DooKies…..meaning it was a great morning for me!  Nodes and tissues sampled and and biopsied via outpatient procedure much like laproscopy through the little notch in the sternum.  Preliminary reports indicate against surgery, meaning, in the doc’s words, the start of a “FULL COURT PRESS” through chemo.  Will return to Dook for sure next Thursday.  Will post any changes or additions.

Meanwhile, give me suggestions for music, books, movies you think may help give me (AKA not the normal person) positive thoughts.

Finally, I aim to resume a nearly normal office schedule next week.

New Stuff

March 26, 2009.  Met with folks at Duke today. Scheduled for biopsy of lymph nodes tmorrow (3/27) at 9:00 tomorrow – outpatient procedure, should be on way home by noon. Tissue samples will be sliced, diced, julienned, chopped, frozen and I don’t know what all and provide basis for determining: what the appropriate chemo cocktail mix based on DNA and genomic sampling; whether surgery is possible; and, exactly what the chemo regime will be, to start ASAP next week.

I’ll try to be better at posting.

Meanwhile, keep the cause going!

Gamma Knife Update

Procedure completed 3:30, more  about which later.  Accompanying MRI shows nothing else lingering in brain.  TO BED!

Gamma Knife Song List

1. Bill Evans “Waltz for Debby”

2. Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime”

3. John Hiatt “Buffalo River Home”

4. Jimi Hendrix “Angel”

5. Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again”

6. World Party “Put the Message in a Box”

7. Frank Sinatra “Why Try to Change Me Now”

8. Freddy Cole “On My Wy to You”

9. Grateful Dead “Box of Rain”

10. Old Crow Medicine Show “Wagon Wheel”

11. Old Crow Medicine Show “I Hear Them All”

12. Pogues “Love You Til the End”

13. Richard Julian “Good Life”

14. Robert Earl Keen “The Road Goes On Forever”

15. Rolling Stones “Let It Bleed”

Procedures/Treatment

Procedures/Treatment

Tuesday, March 18: Gamma Knife, Bowman Gray

Wednesday, March 19: Pet Scan, Bowman Gray – (no, neither Meg nor Dusty will get scanned) radioactive dye job to make sure I don’t happen to have any spots, dots, freckles or glumps lurking God-knows-anywhere else in my otherwise handsome bod.

Thursday, March 20: Visit Duke to see they have anything exciting to offer in addition to what the remarkably warm and welcoming folks at Baptist have to say.

Beach Jaunt

Sunday, March 15, 8:30 PM

I avoided having the docs say “nay” by not asking whether I could go to beach this weekend. Thanks to my assorted cronies, loonies, crackpots and reprobates for fellowship, a bit of golf (in my case, blessed little!), seafood, brew, a lotta laughter and a deep-rooted attitude make-over. Thank you Jimbo, Fatz, Lee, Col. Ripple, Roger, Phil, John, Irv, Paul & Andy…….well, looking over this list, maybe I do need to recruit a new posse’!

I’ll post updated and slightly revised schedule as a separate item and adjust as needed. Meanwhile, of immediate concern is that folks at Baptist have said if I bring a CD, they’ll play it while performing Gamma Knife stuff on Tuesday. I’ll welcome any suggestions you might have for Radiation Music. Anyone interested may be able to check the playlist CD later.

Hello everybody.  I am embarking on a totally new, undoubtably annoying “pasttime” calculated to rile enemies and make friends scratch their heads. As you may know, I had small tumor removed from my cerebellum nearly three weeks ago.  One point of this blog is to post updates of condition and treatment so ya’ll won’t be in the dark.  Otherwise, let’s raise hades and have fun.  Any suggestions how to accomplish those last two items will be welcomed.  Wierd movie lists, bad jokes, disgusting pics….anything tasteless might wind up being posted. 

Meanwhile, current schedule is: 

Thursday, March 12: Visit with treatment teams at Baptist to talk over possible treatment options (chemo/radiation/other drug/lifestyle change ((like there’s a chance that won’t be recommended)), vitamins, voodoo, animism, unguentine, etc.)  There is a lymph node and a tiny lung mass to be dealt with.

Tuesday, March 17:  Gamma knife – precise radiation of area of old tumor to prevent reoccurrence. 

Inserted between Thursday and Monday is, I hope, a trip to beach for Medicare open with assorted group of golfing reprobates and degenerates who like to characterize themselves as my friends.  Believe it or not, there is a chance I will not have the shortest drive or the worst faux-barkley swing.  If the docs order otherwise, expect afternoon soaps/talk shows on WXII to be interrupted by “BREAKING NEWS!’

Later,

Beno

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