Linda’s Liver, Chapter 1
Linda among the bright blooms and old vines, Talty Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA.
From: Linda Logan (Harper House)
Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2015 7:20 PM
Subject: Linda's Liver
Dear Friends,
Looking forward to seeing you all this weekend. But first – an update on my cancer situation.
I apologize to those of you I haven’t spoken to about my diagnosis in early April of Stage 4 colon cancer. Some news seems to be meant for in-person delivery if at all possible, and the timing just hasn’t been right. I’d meant to share this news with those of you at our last get-together. But that night Jay had some terrific news and I didn’t want to rain on his brain parade!
Since April, it’s been pretty much all good news. I remain very optimistic and confident that this blight on my colon and its nasty stepchild in my liver will be on a cutting room floor very soon.
April
• Cancer in colon
• Secondary mass in liver (which qualifies it as “Stage 4”)
• Cancer markers in blood = 25,000
August
• Cancer in colon is resolved. Will still need resection/surgery to be 100% clean.
• Secondary mass in liver – shrunk from large to not-so-large. Doing rounds 9, 10, 11, 12 of chemo to see if we can shrink it some more. It needs to shrink before they can go in, remove the bad parts and leave me with adequate healthy liver tissue. Lord knows I need it!
• Cancer markers = 1,200
So, a few more rounds of chemo before we do another round of tests to reevaluate the size of the liver mass and the potential timing of surgery.
The chemo has not been too bad for me. Every two weeks, a day at the infusion center and then about two days packing the portable chemo pump. I’ve had various side effects – neuropathy, strange aches/pains, FATIGUE – but nothing that’s too incapacitating. The side effects typically dwindle over my week off. I don’t mind the day at the infusion center – when do any of us get to just sit, read, think, nap in the middle of the day? – and have tried to “be a blessing” for the other patients there.
I’m lucky that my job at Microsoft allows me to work remotely when I need to, so I stay at home during my “on” days (Tuesday-Thursday, every other week). The work is a very good distraction for me and I feel good when I can stay busy and productive.
While I’m very confident and comfortable with my oncologist and the protocols he’s put in place, we’re nonetheless enlisting second opinions. Jim was instrumental in pointing us to a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society contact of his who followed up with a high recommendation for a Dr. Xiong in Fort Worth. Our consult with Dr. X confirmed we’re on the right track and that surgical removal of affected tissue is the only way to become “cancer free.” Dr. X also recommended as his first choice for liver surgery – when that becomes an option – one Dr. Goldstein at Baylor. (Serendipitously, my 20+ year hair magician, Laura, who has some kind of benign liver thing, also recommended Dr. Goldstein as the best liver guy in town.) So, we’re set up for a consult with him in early September when he returns from his fabulous vacation getaway.
That’s about it. I’m currently fighting some low platelet and white blood cell counts that might affect upcoming chemo rounds. These counts are expected to bounce back, so the schedule/timing of rounds 10, 11, 12 should be good. Round 10 is scheduled to start next Tuesday.
I had lost about 20 pounds at the time of my initial diagnosis in April. The doctor told me to eat whatever I want and have wine when I want, and I haven’t let him down. I’ve gained about 7 pounds back and plan to attack my pasta on Saturday night with the strength of ten (10) men.
See you then!
By the way, please feel free to ask any questions, bring up anything. And, if you haven’t already, get a freaking colonoscopy now. Tell all your 50+ friends to get over it and get it done, too.
Love to all,
Linda