cancer/ breaking bad

Skip has been dealing with extreme back pain since July. We originally thought it was sciatica, but tests showed a mass of some kind at the base of his spine. The doc said it was probably a giant cell tumor-- a nasty thing that would have to be removed, but usually benign. But he ordered a biopsy just to make sure. We got the biopsy report last Friday (right before labor day) and it's not good news. They found metastasis, but it's not coming from the spine.

The best conjecture at this point is that it's stage 4 lung cancer metastacized to the spine.

Skip had a CT scan Friday (yesterday) to confirm the diagnosis and to see how far it's spread. Once we know that, we can talk about treatment-- kind and length of chemo etc.

I've started the process for family leave, since I've just been plunged into that very time consuming and heart wrenching part of the medical care system that deals with cancer diagnosis and treatment. I get 12 weeks- pretty much the term-- at full pay. Thank God, since it's impossible for me to think about things like class prep right now-- and I can't imagine grading student papers.

On the up side, we rewatched American Splendor, that wonderful film about Harvey Pekar last night.

And I've gotten Our Cancer Year from the library-- seems like the best way for someone like me to ease into the dizzying world of cancer-lit.

I've started a site that's just devoted to Cancer and Skip news

Find skip’s site at www.caringbridge.org/visit/skiphawkins.

This one will continue to be more about me and what I'm reading/seeing while trying to come to terms

with the idea of chronic cancer