Thursday, May 19, 2011

A slight change in direction

It's been almost a year since my last post on this blog and I am sure that no one is still checking to see if anything new has been posted. So, I've decided to revive it for a new and different purpose. Maybe someone will find it and read it, but mostly I'm just writing for myself. If you do happen to come across it feel free to comment.

Last September (2010), I was diagnosed with a urothelial tumor in my left kidney. I had my kidney removed and hoped that the surgery would cure the problem. Within a few weeks I was up and about--about 30 pounds lighter and with a big scar on my belly--but otherwise no worse for wear. However, recently I discovered that the cancer has now manifested itself as multiple tumors in my bladder. Obviously, this new development ups the ante considerably.

Next week I'm off for a consult at the GenitoUrinary department at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, the same hospital where my late wife, Helen, was treated for breast cancer for almost seven years, a place that, I fervently hoped, I would never see the inside of again. Having confronted death by cancer in people I loved on several occasions, I have developed some pretty definite notions as to how one ought to deal with the challenge of this life-threatening disease. We'll see if I'm up to it now that it's my turn.

My plan is to post ongoing reports on my journey through life as a cancer patient--a journey I've observed from close quarters but never before from the inside. I hope this will be helpful for me, and, if anyone ever reads this, for my readers.

2 comments:

kateg said...

well ill quit reading if you ever want me to

Texan By Chance said...

Deal.