Dan and I came home the other night to this casual message on our answering machine:
Hi Dan & Deb, this is D.
I'm in the hospital.
W. says I woke her up in the middle of the night with a seizure.
She called 911.
They say I have a tumor in the front of my brain.
They're going to operate tomorrow morning at 9:30.
Call W when you get a chance and she will fill you in.
Talk to you later.
So typical of D. He has a calm, laconic, yet friendly manner of speech. To give you an idea of how that message sounded -- he could be telling you that an earthquake just wiped three states off the map, and it would sound like he was suggesting drinks and dinner.
Anyway, D had his surgery Friday morning. The bad news is the mass was malignant. (The same kind Ted Kennedy has.) The good news is that he is so healthy and the dozens of scans and tests on the rest of his body indicate absolutely nothing else to worry about. They removed all of the tumor. But, they know that this kind of tumor tends to leave tentacles behind.
So, he begins radiation right away. The prognosis is good. He was fortunate to be at their winter home in FL instead of their rural small town home in northern Missouri. His neurosurgeon is one of the top ranked in the country. The oncology program is highly ranked as well.
He just called a few minutes ago. He should be leaving the hospital in a few days. Says he has a half-moon shaped incision on his scalp with 50 staples in it. He wanted to make sure Dan knew that it wouldn't be all that long before he'd be ready to play golf again. Thinks we should try to squeeze in a long weekend before spring. Go, D.
Comments (11)
Best wishes for D!
Deborah responds: Thanks Amy.
Posted by Amy | February 22, 2009 8:33 AM
Posted on February 22, 2009 08:33
Deborah, That calmness in D. will help him through his treatment and recovery... and the golf game will be on before Dan knows it. :) All the best.
Posted by Eden | February 22, 2009 9:18 AM
Posted on February 22, 2009 09:18
Hope all goes well for D., Deborah.
Posted by candi | February 22, 2009 11:46 AM
Posted on February 22, 2009 11:46
Isn't it amazing how calm some people are when dealing with everything? Wishing him a healthy recovery.
Posted by Cindy Ruth | February 22, 2009 1:05 PM
Posted on February 22, 2009 13:05
Oh, so sorry to hear this, hope all goes well and the boys of summer can hit the links again soon.
Posted by Marcia | February 22, 2009 1:36 PM
Posted on February 22, 2009 13:36
Best wishes for your friend, Deborah.
Posted by Chiocciola | February 22, 2009 2:53 PM
Posted on February 22, 2009 14:53
I'm so sorry and hoping for the best for D. I'm so glad he was in the right place to have great doctors operate and treat him.
Posted by girasoli | February 22, 2009 6:52 PM
Posted on February 22, 2009 18:52
What a shocking message to retrieve. Wishing D. a speedy recovery.
Posted by sheri | February 22, 2009 8:55 PM
Posted on February 22, 2009 20:55
Wow Deborah, what a story. Once again shows you how quickly life can change. I'm also sending D good wishes.
Posted by kaydee | February 24, 2009 7:28 AM
Posted on February 24, 2009 07:28
Scary Deborah. My best wishes to him.
Deborah responds: Thanks Kim. I know you understand how he must be feeling, even if he isn't showing it.
Posted by Kim | February 24, 2009 4:35 PM
Posted on February 24, 2009 16:35
Wow, D sounds like he has an amazing spirit!! My prayers are with him, and you ♥
Posted by Anne | February 26, 2009 5:13 AM
Posted on February 26, 2009 05:13