March 11, 2012

Hey Everybody,

            At the beginning of the year, I felt a lump on the right side of my neck. Instead of getting smaller, it got bigger. Not good. I quickly scheduled an appointment with my doctor, who sent me out for a biopsy which detected cancerous cells in the metastasized lump. Further tests revealed the origin of the cancer, a small mass in my throat, at the base of my tongue and near my voice box. The subsequent PET CT scan fortunately showed no other “hot spots”.  That is really great news….

I have Squamos Cell Carcinoma, SCCA. It's medical name is HPV-16 Positive. This is a treatable, “curable” cancer. It strikes my demographic, fair skinned white boys between 45-60. It does not come from smoking, it is a viral cancer. This is the same cancer that ends up causing cervical cancer in women. Girls, don't miss your PAP smear appointments!

I am being treated by the Diablo Valley Oncology Group, having been referred out from the doctors at John Muir in Walnut Creek. I am being treated by the top team in the East Bay, an eminently qualified group that works out of one building and in concert with each other. I have the utmost confidence in their diagnosis and treatment plan.

Commencing the week of March 11th, I begin 2, or perhaps 3 rounds of Chemotherapy, each round lasting 3 weeks. The plan is to shrink the tumors AND insure that there are no rogue cells attempting to inhabit any organs in my body other than where we know they are currently. This greatly reduces the ability for the cells to metastasize and cause a recurrence of the cancer. After the 2 (or 3) rounds, I will begin an intensive 7 week/35 treatment daily radiation procedure, coupled with some attendant chemo. Weekends off.

All in all, about 4 months of treatment. 

The usual side effects will be in play...weight loss, and hair loss...Most people start the year with Jenny Craig to lose weight, but not me! It is kind of like those Viagra commercials where they tell you everything under the sun is a side effect, but I say screw that. I will hydrate, eat as best as I can, exercise and fight, fight, fight. I have WAY too much still to do, too many things on the bucket list not yet accomplished, simply too much more living to do for this to knock me out.

People are graciously asking us how they can help. Kiki, Sam and I are building a team to help with various tasks, and that is local-centric. We are open to the help and the support. It looks like it could be a day to day thing, that's how we are approaching it. What you all can do is come to The Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette on Saturday night, May 5th, for the 2nd Annual Lafayette Community Music Festival. It is a Bridge School inspired and designed show with some of the greatest musicians in the East Bay who will lend their talents au gratis on behalf of the Theatre. I typically MC the evenings, and that evening is on our calendar and gives us inspiration. To know we will have a sold out house and we'll be surrounded by friends will be an amazing reward, a carrot I will chase daily. PLEASE come that night. Go to http://www.townhalltheatre.com/ for tickets!

The purpose of this blog is for you all to share your thoughts, put wind under my wings, and help us through this. We can update everyone with one blast, and you can check in at your leisure. Trust me, I will check in often. We do not want to go through this alone, we need our tribe, and if you are reading this, you are a part of our tribe. Bring the love, my family will feel it, and it will help us!

The journey continues.......