Back home, whew

Well, the surgery went well thanks to the steady hands of surgeon Brian Fallon and his team at Southside Hospital.

Results of testing won't be back for a few days - pathology is never quick - but I got a feeling from Dr. Fallon that the three elememts he removed from me were nothing to worry too much about.

He said he removed a thick fluid-like mass that may have appeared on CT scans as a desmoid tumor, plus some tissue. He also drew fluid from my pleura for tests.

And, true to his word, I was discharged yesterday after passing the hospital's requirements.

Since, it's been R&R at home, and I return to work tomorrow.

Woo hoo.

posted from Bloggeroid

Filling in missed months, and a morning mashup

It's been five months, give or take, since I've updated but there's a good reason. The dog ate my homework.

Actually, it's a bit more complex than that. Basically, since December I:

• Was offered a new job in Long Island;
• Accepted the new job in Long Island;
• Left the Orlando Sentinel but kept many friends;
• Left the comfort of insurance for 24 uninsured days with Cobra as a backup;
• Was diagnosed with cancer based on pathology taken from my pleura;
• Was told I needed a PET scan;
• Was told by my longtime caretaker Florida Hospital Orlando they wanted $10,000 down before they'd conduct a PET scan, even knowing Cobra would cover it (note, Florida Hospital is on my poo-poo list -- that's where I encourage anyone who would listen to boycott the hospital and Adventist Health);
• Was given a PET scan at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at Orlando Regional Medical Center with no money down, with the anticipation of Cobra coverage;
• Was told I am cancer-free based on the PET scan;
• Dr. Z asked pathology to re-evaluate my sample, and the conclusion was no cancer was actually there; 
• Started work in Long Island with Newsday;
• Was covered with insurance starting Day 1 -- which was Jan. 24, 2011;
• Found doctors to care for me; they're a good group and I'm confident all will be well;
• Love my new job, new colleagues, new bosses and new residence in Bohemia, N.Y. (yes, we're Bohemians);
• Found out after a follow-up CT scan that I have a desmoid tumor outside my right chest wall and attached to a rib;
• Will undergo surgery in about eight hours at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore.

Well, that is the quick version that led me from then and there to the here and now.

So, I am now off food and water until surgery in the morning at the hands of Dr. Brian Fallon, the hospital's chief of thoracic surgery at the hospital. I'll be at the hospital overnight and then go home. By Sunday, I should be mostly as good as new.

I'll have my smart phone and laptop in the hospital, but I don't think I'll be able to tweet or blog from the O.R.

So until my drug-induced update tomorrow afternoon, behave yourselves.