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NOTE: This message is the first in what I hope will be a long series of bulletins with the latest information about my health. As some of you already know, I suffered a seizure while on vacation in Wyoming last week, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After meeting with a couple of different doctors and being given some more tests, I have some more information, although they want to run some more tests. Some of the news I have been getting, though, is encouraging. What they'd like to do next are some more detailed scans of my brain to determine as much as they can about my particular tumor. What they know already is that it's about the size of a ping pong ball, and is sitting on the motor cortex. For that reason, they can't remove the whole tumor, but will remove as much as possible without touching the motor cortex. More likely, they will try to shrink it through radiation or chemotherapy, and try to control it so I can maintain normal function.

The next steps will involve "grading" my tumor, on a scale from 2 to 4. Bigger numbers are less good. The fact that mine showed up on their tests suggests that it is a 3 or 4, but there is a 30% chance that it is only a 2, which is less problematic. This is one of the things I should find out in the coming week, when they will do some more scanning and evaluating, some of which is experimental for research purposes.

The doctors and the care I am getting are probably the finest in the United States. Dr. Rosenbaum, who was the first doctor to see me here in the Bay Area, has written several books about cancer treatment, and the UCSF Cancer Center is generally acknowledged as the country's finest. I picked a great place to get cancer. The doctors are also very much in the moment, not projecting ahead where information does not allow for this, but being optimistic and giving me encouraging possibilities as to how much time I might have left and what quality of life I can enjoy.

Right now, I can do pretty much what I want, although because of the risk of seizures, I can't drive, climb a ladder, or go for a swim by myself. I can't drink alcohol, although my doctor said half a beer wouldn't kill me. Those of you in the Bay Area know how deadly hot it has been (Has it been hot in Colo?) I've spent much of the past few days floating around in my pool. I'm still supposed to be on vacation, so I haven't done any work, but I should be able to continue to do that, and if I don't feel like it, I have a really good excuse.

I thank every one of you for your love and concern, and I don't want you to be too concerned. There were times in the past when I heard about other people going through stuff like this and I wondered how I would respond to it, whether I'd come from strength or wimp out, and I'm definitely coming from strength. In fact, I'm oddly at peace with the whole thing. If nothing else, it is forcing me to acknowledge the great gift that life is, and the importance of getting the most out of the time that one has here. There are important lessons here, and regardless of how things turn out, I'd want to believe that my children and my family were able to learn something from me.

I think everyone needs to find a purpose. To be honest, I never felt that I lacked one before, but now things are a bit more tightly focused. I feel remarkably OK. I'm not afraid of what might happen. I've looked at it and know I can deal with it. But I would be foolish to think that I don't also need the love and prayers of all of you, because I do. Ellen has been as loving and as strong as I could have hoped for. My children are touching in their concern, and absolutely believe that I will get all better. And I feel bathed in love from family and friends from every direction.

So that's what I have for now. There will be more updates as they happen...this seems easier than calling a whole bunch of people all the time. In the meantime, continue to think of me and pray for me, but try not to worry too much about me. It's going to be OK.

Love,

Dan

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