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Note: From: "Terri" <tfandrews@@cox.net>
To: "Elizabeth Andrews" <nemain_79@@msn.com>,"Charlotte Andrews" <i_hav_no_idea@@hotmail.com>
Subject: news about David Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 21:47:43 -0800
Hi, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Katherine.
We just got back to Eureka last night after a week in Healdsburg and San Francisco. Last Monday, David had a biopsy of his tumor. On Wednesday, he was scheduled for a PET scan and to meet his surgeon, Dr. Erik Nakakura(http://www.surgery.ucsf.edu/faculty/enakakura.html
and http://cc.ucsf.edu/people/nakakura_eric.html; the doc's a good guy and we both like him). Dr. Nakakura was concerned about David's paleness, "hot flashes," and overall weakness and wobbliness. He checked David's records and noticed that the first surgeon we met (Dr. O'Connell, who referred us to Dr. Nakukura) had ordered blood tests on Nov 10th -- but, as Dr. O'Connell had left work immediately after meeting with David in order to have his own surgery, nothing much was done with David's results. Dr. Nakakura said David's blood count was very low, and tested him again -- it was even lower. So he admitted David to the hospital late Wednesday afternoon, and David got 5 units of blood over the next 3-1/2 days.
While he was there, they discovered a polyp in his large intestine that will need to be taken out, as it would otherwise turn cancerous in 5-10 years. We were also told that David's tumor (which he has named "Harvey") is indeed cancer, but that it is a "low-grade" (non-aggressive, easy to treat) type, which is good news indeed (this per the surgeon). There may be some slight nerve involvement with David's left leg (his thigh has been very painful at times), but the neurosurgeon Dr. Nakakura consulted with does not feel it is anything to worry about. (If he had been worried, he would have decided to participate in David's surgery in order to extricate the tumor from the nerves, but looking at the various scans of the tumor, he doesn't think this is necessary.)
David got out of the hospital on Saturday, and we went back to Tina and Dave's place for a couple of days until David felt ready for the trip back North. David is still very weak and wobbly and is so "out of it" from the pain pills that he is forgetful and has been having very vivid dreams that sometimes "bleed over" into his waking time. Nothing I can't handle, although it's very odd to have David (usually so logical and matter of fact) tell me some of his fanciful notions, or do rather odd things. Tonight I found his socks all curled up in one of my houseplants. He's not able to handle any email or any other tasks, so he can't reply to your emails (although I can vouch for the fact that they cheered him up considerably -- he had a big grin on his face when he read them!). (By the way, Elizabeth, the photos you sent didn't show up -- did you forget to Attach them? Or did something go wrong in the transmission?)
As soon as we got back to Eureka, Dr. Nakakura's office called to say David's surgery is scheduled for early next Tuesday morning (Dec 13th). No idea how long he'll be in the hospital. We are leaving Eureka on Saturday, Dec 10th and will stay with Tina and Dave both before and after the surgery. Until the doctors actually are removing the tumor, they won't be able to determine what kind of treatment, if any, will be necessary after the surgery. We are hoping that if chemo and radiation are needed, we can do it in Eureka.
David may still be in the hospital for his birthday on the 16th -- what a birthday, huh?
Once David is hospitalized, I'll ask to use Tina & Dave's computer so I can send you his room and phone number. He'll be at:
UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion (http://mountzion.ucsfmedicalcenter.org/) 1600 Divisadero Street San Francisco, CA 94115 (will advise you re his room and phone # later)
I think I've sent you this info before, but here's Tina and Dave's contact info:
Tina and Dave Millingham 754 Pordon Lane Healdsburg, CA 95548
home 707-473-0207 Dave's cell 707-494-1790 Tina's cell 707-494-4813
Letters and calls sent to Tina and Dave will always be sure to reach us.
I'm making him a poster board, full of photos and funny cards and little things that are important to him. Your photos will all be there to help cheer him up. If you could send cards, he would really appreciate it, and I know it would help his recovery.
Sorry for the long time in between my last email. Things have been moving at a rather fast (and unexpected) clip the past couple of weeks. I'd like to start a blog charting David's progress, but for the time being that remains low on my priority list of things to do. I'll keep you posted, and please don't worry. This is a very rough time for your dad (he feels "useless" and scared and is occasionally in pain, plus he hates being so dependent, woozy, wobbly and generally out of it), but we have every reason to believe that this is a temporary and very fixable situation. Keep sending those cards and letters and please keep those good thoughts coming his way! He loves you all very much and hearing from you really makes him feel warm and loved and so much better.
I've attached a few digital pix of us, our cats, and our house. Will send other emails with more pix in other emails (just didn't want to load a bunch of photos into one email in case 'cause it might be bogged down that way).and a few more...
Most of the titles seem to have dropped off, but frankly I'm too tired right now to fix them. One is of your dad doing a Walk for Cancer last summer (before we had an inkling that he had it -- he was doing it in honor of a friend of ours who died; she worked at David's company until she was too ill to continue). One of them is at a quilt show I dragged him to; he managed to find the one "manly" quilt there! Another is of David at home, all bundled up and with a wooly cap on after he had a case of the chills. My friend Deb saw that photo and rushed out to buy David a more masculine hat to wear! There's also a few pix of the kitties (black one is Smudgy and the white one is Clarence), and one of me with my friend Beth at my 50th bday party. I think I also included one of David where he is looking a bit grumpy (he told me "I do NOT look grumpy!). I took a couple of photos at the hospital (and will have more), but having downloaded them yet. Once that happens, I'll forward you some so you can "see" your dad in his hospital room. You'll love his fashionable gown.
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