Approved!!

I got the approval this past Thursday and am now ready to "play ball" with the radiation beads. Just waiting for Dr. Bauer to call tomorrow or Tuesday in order to arrange the date. It is likely to be in ten days or so, delaying my return to work a little. That's fine with me, this medical leave can be pretty easy on the mental outlook.

As we all know, "Just Keep Playing" is a mantra not only for the golf course, but one for this journey, too. It also works when you're a shorter-than-average high school Junior, working your way through the ranks to play some quarterback. Young nephew Dalton just keeps playing...for that he deserves plenty of applause.

http://www.lompocrecord.com/sports/high-school/article_cd00be9c-baeb-11de-844e-001cc4c002e0.html

The weather here is quite "Portlandish" and we're all trying to stay healthy from the blu fug...or flu bug...or whatever. Hope you're managing to do the same.

If not, I'm sorry. Just remember to Keep Playing....

Quick update

Just a quick note to bring everyone up to date. I went to Seattle last week, and learned that doctors aren't all that different. If they are in big cancer centers, they "usually" have a given protocol, but they don't always follow it. So there was no committee review, the doc hadn't looked at the images, and he started the conversation off by telling me how smart he was compared to local oncologists in the Northwest. Hot on the heels of that conversation, a nice story in Newsweek about the reasonably consistent results between specialized cancer centers and community-based care on "the easiest cancers, breast, colon and lung" treatments.

Second, I'm caught in an insurance maze. After more money than practically anyone can count, my docs are having to push on my insurance carrier to authorize the radiation beads. I'm not too worried, because there are actually only a few guys authorized to do the beads in the country, and they all know each other. So having my isssue "sent out" for consulting will result in someone my doc knows looking at the background, rather than some medical director paid by an insurance company.

In the meantime, call or write if you've missed any UEFA Cup soccer. I've seen more amazing goals and stunning comebacks this week than usual, it is easy to see how we Americans think our football and baseball play-offs garner more money than anything on the planet. These games aren't even to the quarterfinals, yet, and the huge stadia are selling out, worldwide TV coverage is on tap. And....we have a LONG way to go if we think American soccer players are really ready for the international stage.

Alpe d'Huez

On this short sabbatical, I simply must get more exercise. It will not only improve my physical well-being, but regaining an ability to run will help my mental attitude immensely. I can’t run with Lizzie when I visit her. It is difficult to track down fly balls with Connor and Caleb. My legs hurt after a wine-tasting trip.

Near my home, there is a hill that extends from the high school to the top of West Linn. Not quite a mile in length, it rises slightly more than 500 feet if one is to believe the topographic maps. It turns out that although it is much shorter, this is the same vertical climb that the Tour de France achieves at l’Alpe d’Huez. It has become my personal goal.

I’m 15-20 pounds too heavy, have little lung capacity, and need to regain lots of muscle tone to accomplish this goal. Thankfully, the uphill challenge is not difficult for my Achilles problems, and I should be able to strengthen my legs and calves during the uphill run each day until I can overcome those tendonitis issues on flat ground, too.

Right now, completion is a distant target. I can only make it about a tenth of a mile up, and yet I return each day to try and add another 40-50 yards to my best distance. As I continue up the hill, I’ll comment from time to time on the progress…until I’ve achieved the goal. When the time comes that I can get to the top, you can be sure that I’ll be slimmer, stronger, and far happier. Billy sent me a note the other day, suggesting that Frank Hiatt wouldn't let medical treatments get in the way of Cross Country practice, so I'll do my level best to continue each day. Coach Hiatt would expect nothing less.

A Journey South...and North

Regular readers will remember that a very good friend, Steve, has been behind me every step of the way down this journey. We first met in Babe Ruth Baseball, a sport he knew how to play and I just dabbled at between golf tournaments in high school. Later, Steve came to his senses and learned how to play the gentleman's game. If anyone asked how often we've played together, that would be hard to assess. He was in the foursome with me when I broke my arm, and took me to the hospital because he's an athletic trainer. He played one of the first rounds back, at Pacific Grove Golf Links, just so he could say "I didn't think you'd ever play again" over and over. He made it a point to call every other week, through 24 chemotherapy treatments, just to make sure that I wasn't too tough on myself.

This past weekend, when Judy had friends to meet in Phoenix, I also went south to play golf with Steve. We have so much fun together on the course that it is hard to include others...but Judy played on Saturday when we were joined by another really fascinating young man. We had a great time, then played again on Sunday. Between laughs, sips of Coors Light, and attempts at concentration, he could say things like "you might want to think about moving the ball back an inch or two, those new irons are short because they are too far forward." It may not seem like a lot to non-golfers, every inch in stance makes a difference...but only someone who has watched me play as much as Steve would notice.

Judy and I stayed in a marvelous resort, courtesy of Nate's new job. We used a "parents discount" which allowed us to enjoy a $300 per night room at $85. It was actually too bad we were so busy with other plans, it would have been nice to simply sit out on the patio and read. The weather was perfect, at 88 degrees during the day, cooling off at night. We returned home to an inch of rain overnight and less than 60 degrees at Tuesday's warmest.

Tomorrow, we journey north to Seattle to confirm my treatment plans and see what the "cancer center experts" have to say. I'm confident they'll simply agree, and I'll go through with the radiation beads next week. There aren't really a lot of other options in the literature, I'm sure my oncologist is up-to-date. I'll sleep better knowing that we've made good decisions to this point, and have built an appropriate plan.

Both trips are great! Giving Stevie a hard time, and simply sharing thoughts about what's going on made me mentally stronger. Learning from the specialists in Seattle will help my physical well-being, because we'll continue on course next week.

It is hard to define the level of importance for either trip, but I certainly know which one I'll enjoy the most when I take it again!

Arterial Flow

The angiogram this week went well. Not only does the interventional radiologist need to route the pathways that the radiation will take by using dye, he needed to insure that none traverses my liver by some mysterious route and might attack my stomach or other internal organs. Keeping the nuclear weapons near the target(s) is critical, but it is just as critical that we don’t create abscesses or ulcers elsewhere--"collateral damage" if we're using the war analogy, Lizzy.

Dr. Bauer closed off two little arterial flows by using coils, just like others may have had to protect from aneurisms. They block the future bloodflow, so that the nuclear beads go in the right places.

Otherwise, everything showed that I’m an excellent candidate for these Y-90 beads. (“SIRT Yttrium 90” for those of you who love to search via your favorite tool.) The Australians have been using this technology since the late 90’s, it was approved for use in the US only in 2002. Dr. Bauer is one of four guys authorized for the procedure in Oregon, highly respected in his ability and knowledge of the technology. Judy and I met with him for about 30 minutes when I awakened, he discussed my individualized anatomy and showed us pictures of the work he’d done via computer screen.

I recuperated well Wednesday, with a 81 at Pumpkin Ridge. No birdies, two doubles. Bumpy greens that had been punched about ten days ago. GREAT day! No wind, 65 degrees. Great friend Alex got to listen to me complain about putting and prognosis. He managed 84, and played good "friend golf" by bogeying the last two holes allowing me to surge ahead. (surge??)

After, I scheduled the visit to the Hutchinson Cancer center. (http://www.seattlecca.org/) Highly considered here in the Northwest, it is the nearest logical choice for a secondary opinion. I’m fully convinced that Dr. Chang’s advice, and Dr. Bauer’s up-to-the-minute knowledge, are best for me. I just want to know that we’re not missing anything, that there aren’t new trials or experimental techniques we should be considering. It will be a long day to drive up, it has taken a lot of time to get them the diagnostics and previous reports…but the ability to sleep well at night will be enhanced.

That takes place on October 15. The following week, likely the 20-21 of October, I’ll go in for the radiation work. Then the ten day quarantine, avoiding the opportunity to radiate any little children or pregnant women. I should be back to work, if all goes well, on November 2. It is a relief to know the pathway, giving me time to visit with friends, play golf with others, and spend an hour photographing sunrise in the Gorge.