Cleared to fly

Hi All
Rick saw Sugarbaker this a.m. and was released to the care of Linda Garland in Tucson. We reviewed the surgery and follow-up. Sugarbaker said that the tumor in Rick's lung had grown so large that it was a very tricky surgery and there are times when the tumor is that large that he decides that it can't be removed and closes without doing anything. He said he can remove 60% of the really large ones and closes 40% of the time - and that Rick was right on the edge between the two. Luckily, he got the whole thing out and is confident that Rick will do very well. (I am sure all those powerful prayers and good wishes on April 15 made the difference.) We read through the follow-up on all the lymph nodes that were removed and although DaSilva had reported earlier that there were two nodes that came back positive for meso, the actual report said only one that was right next to the tumor.

Sugarbaker said Rick will need radiation, but he doesn't think he will need chemo. It's funny, but that made me nervous instead of relieved. I want them to throw everything they have at this ugly cancer! I am still impressed by how approachable and personable Sugarbaker is. I call him Sugarcoater because he always insists on taking a positive perspective on everything..Which is a good thing...but for some reason I need to have every possible negative thing examined too. I just don't want the doctors to miss a single molecule of information that could save Rick's life.

We will return here for follow-up tests and visit in October. When I consider all that has happened in our lives since the end of February when Rick first had the fluid drained from his plerua - until now - it's incomprehensible. We have traveled a very bumpy and winding road that seems to have delivered Rick from the death sentence that his internist gave him. Please don't stop those prayers though. We always need them and we still need to find out what the oncologist in Tucson has in store for Rick!

Thanks to all of you for your continuing support.