I Have Colon Cancer

This journey began when my dear friend Marianne and I (she's in the pictures with the Clintons) decided to brave the Iowan winter to participate in the Caucus. As political junkies, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to witness the Iowa experience. Unfortunately, upon arrival, I was experiencing extreme stomach pains. After several trips to the hospital where I kept insisting that something was wrong and they kept telling me that it was just extreme constipation, I was finally admitted on January 3rd for tests. On January 5th, they decided to move forward with surgery. During the surgery they ended up taking out a foot of my colon (apparently the colon is 12 feet long), 20 lymph nodes, some muscle and my appendix.

I have to pause to let you all know how fortunate I was on January 5th in Des Moines. A brilliant colorectal surgeon, Dr. Soren Kraemer, happened to be on call at Mercy Hospital on the day that I needed colon surgery. Perhaps the most notable aspect of his skill is the fact that I do not have a colostomy bag. Dr. Kraemer decided to take out my appendix and flush my colon into the hole left by my appendix to avoid the bag. I am truly grateful for his tremendous work.

In addition, prior to my departure to Des Moines, I was put in contact with a wonderful couple from Iowa, the Mandelbaums. They invited Marianne and I to a lovely New Year's Day brunch. None of us had any idea of the important role that they were to play in my life. Not only did they connect me to a local GI specialist, but they ended up checking me out of my hotel while I was in the hospital, sitting with me before I went into surgery (since Pat was still on the plane to Iowa) and then housing Pat for 7 days during my hospitalization. In addition, they were in the same wine club as my oncologist and checked on me regularly through him. They have now become our friends for life. We feel so blessed to have had such a marvelous support system so far away from home.

Back to my current status - because the cancer had spread to 4 of my lymph nodes, they diagnosed me as having Stage 3 colon cancer. Although they believe that they cut out all of the cancer in Iowa, they want to make sure that any cancer that may be floating around at a microbial level is killed and not able to begin new cancer growths.

This entire experience was a tremendous shock, since I just turned 40 years old and have no history of colon cancer in my family. I have become a relentless advocate for everyone I know to have a colonoscopy test as early as possible. I so don't want anyone else to go through this nightmare.

My goal over the next six months is to heal my body and my soul so that I am ready to embark on my next life journey.

I want to thank everyone for all of the amazing things that they have done for me and my family over the past couple of months. Our Bay Area community has been tremendous - from making delicious meals for our family to driving me to my many doctors' appointments, to researching the latest information on colon cancer to helping me set up this blog - I feel so fortunate to have such a phenomenal support network. Furthermore, I understand that there are prayers being said daily on my behalf by friends and relatives (and even by people who do not know me) throughout the world. I am truly humbled by the outpouring of love and support that have enveloped me and my family.

Many people have asked what they can do to help. First, please add me to your prayer list. I will take any prayers from any religion or non-religion. Second, I would like to do everything in my power to eradicate colon cancer. Therefore, please look to the "Help Win This Fight" part of the blog to donate funding for colon cancer research. I am trying to raise as much money as possible during the month of March (National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month) to donate to colon cancer research. Please give and forward this blog to everyone you know so that they may give as well. As many of you know, I have been involved in many causes over my life and have always searched for ways that I can make a difference. I believe that I have now found my true calling - fighting colon cancer. Please help me to stamp out this horrible and destructive disease.