The Backstory

Some time in December, Andrew finally got sick of a persistent cough that had been nagging him since October and went to the doctors. (If you all remember him as the guy who walked around for two weeks with a severed Achilles tendon, you are probably thinking "Wow, that was quick!"). Doctor #1 sent him to Doctor#2 who did an upper GI, which revealed an "anomaly" in esophagus. Doctor #3 did an endoscopy (scope of the esophagus) and biopsy. . . we waited. Finally, on Christmas Eve as we were driving back to my Dad's from the Sol Lewitt show at Mass MOCA (nice day, nice show), the phone call came. The "anomaly" was cancer located in the upper third of the esophagus, and in typical Andrew fashion, a weird one, the kind that only old men should get. The doctor asked "Did you ever drink lye when you were a kid?" The primary school menu is a little different in England, but he was able to conclusively say that he hadn't recalled doing that.

Since it seems like we just got through his last cancer (prostate, 2004), we were pretty pissed off. But we got our heads around it and proceeded to take the next logical step in a path toward recovery --Said "screw this" and went off to Mexico for a week on the beach. A very good choice!!! While we were traveling we got news that Andrew's PET scan (the scope that looks for cancer elsewhere in the body) revealed that it appeared that no wayward cells had found their way to any other parts. Good news!!

When we got back we went to Doctor #4 - hotshot super specialist in Rochester NY. Three trips to Rochester and two more endoscopies later it was decided that surgery would not be an option as it probably would have involved removing the voice box and other parts. Could definitely not let go of that English accent and since studies show they chances are just as good without surgery we agreed with this opinion.

This brings us to Doctor #5 and #6 our oncology and radiation guys. We fell in love with Doctor #5 (the oncologist) on our first visit to him. Finally someone who really listened and made us feel like he was really looking out for us! He took one look at Andrew and said "Well you are big, strong and healthy and I'm not going to cut you any slack!" The radiation guy (the doctor who put the rad in radiation) was equally accessible, cheerful, and ready to do business! They put their heads together and came up with the course of treatment: In the hospital for 96 hours straight of chemotherapy, radiation every day for 6-7 weeks, and a second course of 96 hours of chemo in the 4th or 5th week. This all happening at Upstate University Medical Center, folks known for doing a good job with cancer and only a mile from our house. . .

Yesterday was Day 1 of this journey. I will try to give you updates as often as I can. . .

Love to all

Lucinda