Thanks to Ashley, I have a way of communicating information to my friends and family and a place to record my musings. To me it sounds indulgent but we have received so many calls that I cannot think of a better way to get information out and to hear from all of you. Most important, this blog was started two years ago after Cathy and I visited Ashley in Seattle. She set this up for me and I was so excited I only made one post to it. But I must say, it was a good one. If you have not read it you should take a moment to do so.

A quick jump now to present day. I really think it will help me (indulgent part) to get this out and know that somebody is on the other end. I have been tired a lot lately and when I went in for my six month blood work to check the cholesteral gauge I let my doctor know. As some of you know, cuz we share the same physician, Cathy and I love Dr. Meinhold. He told me that he had done to good of a job on my cholesteral count because it was now too low. As a result he reduced my meds and said come back in 3 weeks for another test. I did and he said my count was back in check but my liver enzymes were off the chart and to stop the meds completely. Again to come back in 3 weeks to have another blood test. About a week and a half later I decided to call the doc as I began to pee a color close to the burnt orange in a crayola box. That kinda indicated to me that something was not quite right. I called Meinhold and went in the next day.

Believe it or not that was only a week and a half ago. Since then I have had a cat scan & endoscopy. Thanks to my brother, his brother in law and my friend, Cantor Steven Weiss, I have had access to great medical resources. I have a tumor of the bile duct region. Don't know yet whether it is malignant or not, but in the area the odds are slim for benign. Don't know if it is on the Ampulla side (intestinal) or the pancreatic side. The biology of the tumor is better if on the Ampulla side. Don't know the exact size yet and most importantly don't know if it had spread or stayed in the local tumor hotel. If it has spread I will most likely go straight to chemo and radiation with surgical options taken off the table. Since it has not spread benign or malignant there is only one surgical procedure. I get to have a Whipple. This is a big piece of surgery that was named after the guy on tv that sold Charmin toilet tissue. Actually it was named after a doctor who developed the procedure 30 years ago. It has really been perfected over the last ten so and in the hands of a physician that has performed this surgery frequently the success rate is very, very high. I am very excited that I do not have to travel to New York, Connecticut, Boston or anywhere else. We have a top Whipple specialist right here in the Atl. Dr. George Daneker operates out of St. Joseph's and already has me on his calendar for April 18. He has performed between 250 and 300 Whipples. He is a Whipple maniac.

I have a high resolution cat scan tomorrow afternoon that will let me know whether it has spread and if it is malignant or not. Thanks to all of you that keep calling and the medical decision making, Cathy and I have really not had time to let our minds wander too far away from "just the facts, ma'am". I am sure there is an emotional train just over our shoulders trying to catch up.

I am feeling well for a "yellow fellow" but have to admit that the current anxiety level is high. It is strange to feel that the good news is that I will have major surgery. I will keep all of you that care to struggle through my posts updated. Please feel free to add your comments, positive thoughts, and critical reviews. Tell me about your Aunt Bertha's surgery later. I really have been moved by the level and quality of support and interest. Thank you is far too small for how I feel.

Speaking of moved that seems to be one result of the obstruction of the bile duct. I am moved frequently. If you are on this sentence thanks for sticking it out. My kids and wife can testify to my wordiness and that's why I love them.