First dispatch from the cancer trenches

I have been so lucky to hear from so many who have showered kindness and concern. It is difficult to give everyone timely news in a personal way. I love to receive calls -- can't promise to take every call, but I am trying to get back to as many as I can.

A lot has happened in an amazingly short time. It was not much more than one week from the time I complained to my doctor about low energy to the time she had collected the right clues for the colon cancer with liver matastisis to be identified. And only another week or so went by till I got my first chemotherapy treatment yesterday. It was a long session in the oncologist's office. Pascale and I got there at 8 and did not leave till about 5:30. The first dosing is larger and has to be given slower, so as to be on the alert for reactions, which fortunately were negligible. I feel very good. The nurses were great in taking every step to minimize the side effects. In fact, that evening, shortly after we returned, Pascale and I enjoyed a short walk on the beach and an excellent movie (In My Country with Samuel Jackson and Juliette Binoche, concerning the Truth and Reconciliation Hearings in South Africa).

Speaking of Pascale, I should say that no one should ever have to endure an ordeal like this without the comforting support and love she has provided without fail. My illness was such a surprise to us both, but imagine what it must be like for her, only a few months after she moved to Monterey for us to start our life together. For those who don't know, we met on September 12, 2001, through a sequence of unexpected events, the most important being the tragic attack on 9/11.

Next week I will be getting iron thrown into the cocktail of healing agents and vitamins that I am getting. That should help with energy. Overall, I am confident that I have a great team of local doctors, led by oncologist Dr. Roger Shiffman. Roger has sought and received consultation about my case from professors at USC, Stanford and UCSF, and from my niece who is a brilliant young oncologist in Philadelphia. Roger is a master at treating the whole patient. I feel very fortunate to be in his care. The surgeon, Dr. Kajikuri, who implanted the portocath in my chest on Saturday did a perfect job, without any bruising. The portocath creates a simple painless valve for extraction of blood samples and insertion of medications. No more vein sticks!

CHOMP, as we call our local hospital, is a very richly endowed private hospital with great docs, great facilities and abundant services. One of the services is a cancer wellness class. One of the key points they teach is to visualize. Visualize the healthy energtic Rick I know. Visualize the healing agents soaring through my body, seeking out cancer cells and obliterating them. (It is hard to call it "chemo" when you put such a positive spin on it!) The teacher also says that when people ask what they can do to help, ask them to do the same visualizations of the healthy Rick and the soaring healing agents. If you are not adverse to this kind of California new-age-y stuff, please join me in visualizing. We are going to beat this thing! Thank you again for all your kindness. I wish you all the best.