(from CaringBridge 2018)
I started my journey with cancer on August 31, 2018. Hepatocellular carcinoma - cancer of the liver. I am really blessed that a routine endoscopy uncovered a bulge pushing into my stomach, which led my doctor to examine things further until we found the problem (read the details in a journal...
(from CaringBridge 2018)
Today I celebrated my birthday with my best friends. We "popped' an expensive bottle of wine I had acquired in Oregon and as we clinked glasses I toasted to my last drink of alochol ever!
Never been a drinker, I won't miss it very much~
(from CaringBridge 2018)
My General Practitioner, Dr. Sobel, worked through my annual physical. We saw I was due for a colonoscopy and the referral to Dr. Mahoney was made in April. At the preliminary appointment, several upper G.I. questions led us to decide I should also have an endoscopy at the same time -- to look...
(from CaringBridge 2018)
...continued...
Dr. M said he had already contacted someone at CPMC -- California Pacific Medical Center, Sutter Health's top-tier cancer/transplant clinic in San Francisco -- and, indeed, I got a call within a few hours confirming my referral and some instructions (mostly about how long...
(from CaringBridge 2018)
I am so impressed and thankful for Sutter Health and all of their extensive resources!
Even before I had talked with Dr. M about my diagnosis he had submitted referrals to Sutter Oncology in Roseville. Within a few hours I had an appointment scheduled with Dr. Chellappah, my oncologist. As I...
(from CaringBridge 2018)
In my first oncology orientation appointment, I was learning about what tests were on the docket. When I heard I would be having my FOURTH CT-scan, I semi-joked that "I might start glowing" from all the x-rays. Dr. Chellappah, very professional in her demeanor, turned to me, pointed at...
(from CaringBridge 2018)
ll of the first-sequence of tests have now been completed. I was told the bone scan results will be take only a day or two, and I should expect my team will have them on Monday. I believe CT-scan results have a similar turn-around.
I had a difficult night last night, as I anticipated, as my...
(from CaringBridge 2018)
Last weekend I had reason to visit Fremont for a 50 year celebration of the Christian School where I worked 30-40 years ago. Anticipating there might be an appointment set at CPMC for early in the week (this timing had been implied when I first talked to an admin there) I planned to stay over...
(from CaringBridge 2018)
"Don't mind me...I'll just, um, hang out over here. You keep looking..."
(from CaringBridge 2018)
Today I elected to make a rather broad announcement about my cancer diagnosis. I chose to use Facebook, even though I previously said to a few I wouldn't post anything there. Facebook has become so divisive in the political climate I have pretty much devolved to scanning for kitten and puppy...