From: Dell [
Sent: Wednesday, December 24, 2003
1:28 PM
To:
Subject: FW: Dell Fields Update
12/24/03
Dear Family and
I am very excited to write you all about my personal
miracle. I’m sure my doctors would call it promising event but to me it
is a miracle. First let me preface my “miracle” by saying I have
been really concerned lately about the side effects of my chemo. The Oxyliplatin
that I receive has made me lose feeling in my fingers and toes. My feet are
constantly cold. This [neuropathy] makes playing the piano or even typing on
the computer very difficult. The experimental drug Iressa has had a
debilitating effect on my skin, in particular my scalp. Each day I awaken there
is blood on my pillow from my scalp. Sleeping is its own challenge in as much
as my scalp hurts too much to put my head on my pillow. I am trying to avoid
addicting pain killers like Vicodin but occasionally there is no other way to
sleep. The 5FU is causing my hair to fall out. Since I had so much hair, many
people do not notice the hair loss but it is noticeable. And, of course, there
is the ever present diarrhea and nausea L
I have been
feeling a little “down” because the last C.A.T. scan showed no
change in my liver tumors. The doctors assured me that as long as the tumors do
not grow it is a positive sign. I, on the other hand, wanted to see shrinkage
like we saw on the first C.A.T. scan. Well, now for my miracle…..
I had a C.A.T. scan last week and the doctor (Dr. George
Fisher) went over the results. I should have known there was good news when my
case nurse, Joanne, had a big smile on her face. The C.A.T. scan not only
showed a reduction in size of the tumors, the tumors are not
even visible on the scan. They
can’t find my cancer! Considering what I have read about folks with my
stage of colon cancer, I consider this an extraordinary result – a
miracle.
Now, the reality check… Just because the cancer can
not be seen on a C.A.T. scan doesn’t mean it is not there at a finer
level of granularity. I will have a P.E.T scan in January that should give us
more information. In the mean time I get rewarded with a couple of weeks with
no chemotherapy (to let the side effects subside a little). In all likelihood there
will be a new course of action taken for my cancer. It is likely I will be
taken off of the Phase II study at Stanford. There are surgical options, chemo
options, radio frequency options and whatever else medical science can come up
with. I have won a big battle
against my cancer but the war continues.
Usually I end with my normal admonishment to take care of
your health. Today, the day before Christmas, I will tell you, as you face the many challenges and
obstacles that life has for you, keep a positive attitude, keep your sense of
humor, and keep your faith. Miracles do happen.
I write this with appreciation for your friendship,
Dell