Ox Fall Down

Yoon examines me before spilling. Throat and neck first with his hands. Then the chest and back with the stethoscope. Then the abdomen, pelvis, legs and ankles. Nothing extraordinary. Up off the table and Yoon calls up the scan on the computer screen. Frequently in post-surgical, post-radiation baseline scans you'll see some haze. It's like the old Zen joke. They call this "post-operative change" if it's nothing more than inflammation or scar tissue. Given the activity the site saw this winter p.o.c. is reasonable. If the haze represents a "tumor" they call it "cancer." "Cancer" produces "tumors" when cells divide rapidly, abnormally and without cease.

Yoon is comfortable waiting three months until the next scan. No treatment in the interim. His last words are, "I wouldn't be that concerned about it."

Across the street to the Proton Therapy Center. In the basement Delaney races past and says hello. You wait for him in the hallway with Dianna and the radiation techs Phil and Ron. Parking and dive bars in Brighton are discussed. When Delaney is ready he wants to know how Dianna fits in. I almost blurt out, "Isn't it clear? She's Lonzo's ex!" but I stay silent and enjoy his confusion. As soon as we're in the exam room he leaves to answer a page. I weigh myself. 201. Need to drink more beer and eat more. Run less. I'm 15 pounds underweight. When he returns he agrees with Yoon. Biopsy and exploratory surgery are too aggressive. There's no need to restart chemo when I feel well. If new symptoms arise we could change the plan. For now it's best to assume it's nothing until August's scan. At that point we'll know. "If it's tumor it will declare itself."

So now, Step. You're from Philly. You down with p.o.c.? Yeah, you know me. Who's down with p.o.c.? Every last lady.

Nervous?

I'm working on hyper-linking definitions and images to the medical terms in the operative reports below. It will take a while to complete. Bear with me. Also, for expediency some of the adjectives are linked to definitions of nouns. I thought you could do the math. Where possible I've included a very short explanation to save you the click. Otherwise, as long as you're using a fast connection you should be able to click and hit the back arrow without much interruption.

Scan this past Friday. Woke up at 05:00 for an 08:00 departure. Good thing because the alarm was set for seven PM. Scan went well. CT tech bought his apartment in the South End in 1985. He laughed when I asked if it was a good investment.

Port flushed and drew like a champ. To avoid clotting I should have it cleaned every month. This time I waited two. Not out of negligence. Just in the spirit of Kramer and the Saab salesman. Pushing the limit for the sport of it. Relieved to see the red blood mix with saline in the line.

Climbed White Horse with Pete and Jen on Wednesday. Sunny and 70. We simul-climbed the first 4 or 500 feet. Stopped and belayed the middle crux pitch before dashing the final 400' to the top. Roped but no gear, laughing at our thighs burning.

Climbed Cathedral with Alessia yesterday. Cloudy and 60. Run out slab for 30 feet. Cathedral is ledgey. Take one step up and you're three feet off the ground. Take one step right and you're twenty-five feet off the ground. Without hand holds. Whimper up 30 feet, gain the ramp and exhale. After that it's 80 feet of wandering hand crack to the anchor. Fun to be on your hands after the blank slab.

Meetings with Yoon and Delaney tomorrow. Nervous?