Dear Extended Family, Law Firm, Friends, and Colleagues:

As you know, I received the unwelcome news from my doctors last week that I have Stage IV peritoneal/ovarian cancer. The purpose of this blog is for me to be able to communicate my status without being intrusive.  That is, you can check here whenever you like, and I won’t worry about how often would be too often to communicate with you directly.  (I don’t want to be a bore.) Plus, who knows, perhaps someone out there with a similar diagnosis will feel connected. In any event, I will be posting updates and cancer ramblings here periodically, so you will know I’m still alive and kicking.

Barring unforeseen complications, this will be a marathon. Best case is 3-5 months for treatment (chemo, followed by surgery, followed by chemo), with a great chance of remission thereafter. My law firm has very generously allowed me to take an extended leave of absence to concentrate on treatment and recovery.

This is not my first rodeo. After surviving breast cancer in 1991, I have received 27 bonus years, and those years have been glorious. Please know that if my time is up now, I’m okay with that. However, the plan is to throw everything at this that medical science and I have at our disposal, and to achieve many additional bonus years (is that redundant?) with my sweet redheaded husband, and with my wonderful family, law firm, and friends. As I have said to all, the highest probability is that I will be back in action by the end of the year, with no hair and a terrible attitude.

If I become temporarily unable to post, the redhead says he will take up the slack.  As unlikely as that would seem to actually happen, I know his heart is in the right place.

Thank you for your upload