Without these medical professionals I would not be alive today. Thanks to all of them.
Dr. Roy Matsuyama (no picture): Dr. Matsuyama performed my first (and my second) colonoscopy. After the first one I got dressed and my wife and I waited for him to talk to us. He came into the room and told us directly that he had found a cancerous polyp.
After surgery and chemotherapy my oncologist recommended I have another colonoscopy. Once again Dr. Matsuyama performed it. This time he had good news: No Cancer.
On Tuesday I was working at HP in Palo Alto when I received a phone call from Dr. Matsuyama. He requested I return to his office. I told him it would be easier if he just told me on the phone what he had to say. He asked me a number of times if I was sure and I said yes. He told me he made a mistake, the lab results showed the cancer had returned in my colon. I had moist eyes.
Dr. Chia Chou: I found Dr. Chou after a lot of "doctor shopping". When we met he took my medical history. He recommended I get a colonoscopy. I had previously had a sigmoidoscopy but Dr. Chou felt the colonoscopy was more in order. He sent me to Dr. Matsuyama.
Dr. James Myers (no picture): Dr. Myers performed my first colon resection. I admired his personality and his skills. I asked him before surgery if I should avoid buying green bananas (referring to the fact I may die before the bananas ripened). He laughed. During a followup visit he told me to be sure and buy some green bananas. I laughed.
Dr. Kristie Bobolis: Dr. Bobolis is my oncologist. An oncologist is an interesting medical practitioner. Oncologists must stay current with all the different chemical incantations there are for whatever kind of cancer their patient may have. They also need to have compassion. Dr. Bobolis has it all.
Dr. Bobolis is an amazing doctor and woman. I sensed a kindness and caring to me from the first day we met. I have seen her on a regular basis for over 4 years and we have gotten to know each other very well, more than a doctor/patient. She has even invited me to perform a piano solo for a Sutter Cancer Center fund raiser. I admire her medical skills as well as her ability to be a wife and mother. Rumor has it she plays the piano pretty well, also.
A good doctor knows his/her limits and looks for anything that will help the patient. After my cancer returned Dr. Bobolis recommended I try a clinical trial being held at Stanford. She made some calls and after a screening process I was off to Stanford for my newest chemotherapy.
I will probably be Dr. Bobolis' patient until I die and I hope that is a long time!
Dr. Gregory Graves: Dr. Graves performed my second colon resection. He was recommended by Dr. Myers because my cancer had matastasized to my liver and Dr. Myers did not feel comfortable doing a colon resection and the removal of the liver tumor.
Dr. Graves is the best surgeon I have ever had, and I have had more than a few. His technical skills are second to none. Not only did he do the colon resection and liver tumors removal, he has done four separate liver tumor and one lung tumor ablations using technology that was not even available at Stanford University.
Dr. Graves' wife is also his nurse. Until I asked her to call me by my first name she was very formal and referred to me as Dr. Fields (Ph.D. not M.D.). Quite a contrast from Dr. Graves who when he sees me usually says, "How's it going Big Guy."
It appears I will have a long relationship with Dr. Graves. With Dr. Graves and Dr. Bobolis on my team I am confident I have the best chance of survival.
Dr. George Fisher and Dr. Cheryl Cho : Drs. Fisher and Cho conducted a clinical trial of the drug Iressa at Stanford Medical. Dr. Fisher was the lead researcher. I only saw him once but I know he and his staff reviewed my case each week. I am grateful for his input.
Dr. Cho saw me every two weeks. She would interview me before I was allowed to take the chemotherapy. Of all the chemo I have had to endure this was the hardest on my body. I was very sick after each session and even my scalp started to disintegrate. I finally stopped when the neuropathy in my hands and feet became too serious. The drug worked to a point my liver tumors were reduced in size and could be ablated by Dr. Graves.
Dr. Cho had a great style. She always seemed interested in how I was doing outside of the program. She left Stanford to start her own practice in the Bay Area. I would see her if I lived in her area.
Once when I complained about being tired and nauseated Dr. Cho said, "Now you know how a pregnant woman feels." What I didn't know was Dr. Cho was pregnant for much of the time I worked with her. One day I observed she was very tired looking and just did not have any energy. I said, "Cheryl you look very tired today." She said, "It is morning sickness." I replied, "I am so sorry you have to go through that but now you know what it is like to have chemotherapy!" I think she enjoyed my sense of humor. At this writing she has two children and she stays in touch with me through email.
Thanks to my Docs!
Dr. J. Joseph Prendergast: Dr. Joe's expertise is not cancer but rather endocrinology and metabolism. He is part of my team as much as the others as I am borderline diabetic. It seems chemotherapy does not help this situation. The way I understand it the pancreas produces beta cells that create insulin which regulates the body's use of sugar. Chemo has been known to kill beta cells. Consequently I visit Dr. Joe on a regular basis to ensure there are no problems on the endocrinology side of my treatement.
Dr. Joe (his preferred moniker) is an unusual man with more energy than any combination of my other doctors. This is amazing since he is 70 years young. He is a respected physician, teacher, researcher, and author and I consider myself lucky to be under his care.
