16 December 2011 Update

At risk of trying to do too much with my diminished hand eye coordination right now, I‘d like to pass a long a personal update from the tin man.

Our kids busted us out of johns Hopkins yesterday afternoon, and 3 days post head in the can-opener I’m home watching the grand girls decorate the trees and feeling no pain.    Wouldn’t mind a glass of wine in the hand, but I’m still on restrictions.  Don’t want to get on the wrong side of the line.  Still got a few wobbles, but every step helps the next one.  Initial reports were largely on line:  Successful surgery, and visually deemed to be a high level tumor, but pathology reports aren’t completed. Treatment follows data, so data will lead to a battle plan. In about a week.  You may know that the surgeon implanted 8 chemo wafers in the cavity.  Almost certainly follow-up radiation for 6 ½ weeks and maybe some follow-up oral chemo.

Recovery of fine motor skills will come, but will take some therapy.  Who knows what else. when?  There are real optical issues, but the vision itself is ok.  Processing of visual inputs is more the issue.  Don’t always recognize what I am seeing, but I’m hopeful that getting the squirrel out of the brain will help.

I have the best team in the world behind me, both at Hopkins and at home.  We are not at the beginning  of the end, just the end of the beginning.  Whatever is left to be dealt with is not a hangnail, but it can and will be dealt with. 

We ain’t saving any leftovers for the honey badger.

Thanks for all the many expressions of love and support.  I almost feel guilty being the recipient of such largess, but I could not have gotten this far without it.  Keep it coming, but pass it around as well.  Lots of folks need it right now.

Ross