Various and Sundry

In no particular order:

• I am happy to report that my right arm continues to improve.


• We found out today that my MUGA scan was clear. Seems my heart is a-pumping as it should be.


• To clarify an earlier post, the latest pathology report showed no disease whatsoever in the three lymph nodes and other tissue removed during the second surgery last week. This means that we now have those magic words, widely clear margins.


• Several more consultations, tests, procedures, etc. to come before the treatment will actually begin. One major question is whether/when to have radiation treatment (again). Stay tuned. You'll read it here first.


• I am hereby issuing a blanket IOU for all phone and e-mail messages that I have not yet returned. Note the word yet.


• School starts again in exactly one week. I am trying to relocate my inner discipline and get some actual work done. The big to-do on my list at the moment is my master's project, which is about humanism in medicine and medical education (a topic I chose based on our last go-round and before I knew there would be a this go-round). Of course, I could probably write a three-volume set on that topic at this point, but this is not a first-person piece. I actually have to do a whole lot of reporting first. Hence the effort to relocate my inner discipline. Wish me luck.


• Thanks to all who have left guest-book entries or comments, with a special shout out to those who did so in haiku. I didn't intend to issue a challenge but love the fact that several of you were so ready to meet it.