Yippee Skippee, I'm Cancer Free!

Yippee Skippee, I’m Cancer Free!!!

Dr. Vincent Laudone, the surgeon who performed my prostatectomy on October 22^nd, called last night while I was surfing the web for early midterm election results. He wanted to know how I was doing and informed me of the post surgery pathology report on the excised tissue. First he asked for an update on my post-op physical condition.

I joked with Dr. Laudone, telling him that I had a creative way of coping with the healing that is going on internally and the physical challenge of having the catheter removed from my bladder. What’s happening is the nerve tissue that would tell a normal person that they have fully evacuated their bladder is translated in my case as a slow build up of burning pain. So the satisfaction I used to get after full evacuation is now an anticipation of a burning sensation which is my nervous system telling me it is still there, still in play, but does not know what to do with the sensations as though urinating is totally new to me. I liken my physical situation at this point, 11 days after surgery, as teaching my body how to cope with basic functions I learned when I was an infant in diapers. The pain is lessening with each passing day, but not as quickly as I would like.

I have no tolerance for opiate drugs so I had to come up with my own way of coping with the pain since leaving the hospital. I told Dr. Laudone, that being a creative type, I think up songs on my way to the bathroom, and named that performance artist ‘MC Leekee Pypes”, in honor of my newly drawn battle against incontinence. We had a chuckle over that, but then the conversation quickly turned serious when he told me the results of my pathology report.

Dr. Laudone told me that on a microscopic level, the cancer cells did not parse the wall of my prostate gland. In simple terms, when the prostate was removed, so was the cancer. What great news this was! This means no post-op chemo, no immediate anticipation that rogue cells would show up in unaffected parts of my body. This whole episode of prostate cancer was an early catch, and for those of you who haven’t heard this before, I have the NBC health and Fitness Week screening to thank.

Dr. Laudone and I talked about return to work, which is likely to be Thanksgiving week. I have internal healing which is still underway, then after a week of focusing on Kegel Exercising, I can get this incontinence thing under control.

All in all, my family, friends and colleagues, I am at a great mental state, knowing that the two cancers I learned about in July, are gone in November. It has been a long and scary and hopeful journey, made tolerable by the well wishes and love of all of you. I am thankful for those health professionals at Memorial Sloan Kettering, whose compassion and knowledge made each visit something to look forward to, as opposed to something to dread.

Independence Day

This morning I am heading for Sloan Kettering's outpatient clinic, to have that darn catheter removed. Hard to believe it has been 7 days since my robot assisted prostatectomy. Day one and two I was feeling fine and felt this, compared to my nephrectomy a month earier, would be a "walk in the park". Days 3,4,5 my abdomen was severly swolen and the pain was ecrutiating. Since the pain has subsided and I am back to exercising and working that stiffness out of my system. To to put this into context, I don't tolerate opiates well since leaving the hospital my main source of pain relief was Tylenol.

Having a catheter to deal with was another big difference from my operation in August. Its not very comfortable and certainly it's not an accoutrement to receive house guests with. There was the portable bag but there is nothing like the freedom of not having to deal with it. Anyway, I digress... I'm truly on the mend, and in great spirits today. I thank all of you all for your continued support.

Four days out, but who's counting?

Thank you all for helping me keep a strong mental outlook with your wishes of support. Today, four days after my operation, my abdomen is swollen and painful but knowing those "rebellions" in my body have been defeated, it is just a matter of healing. I can tolerate the pain for that!

Although robotic assisted prostatectomy is considered "non-invasive", the surgical team did sink six rods though my abdomen to my pelvis to perform the procedure. I entered the operating theater at 7:30am and was wheeled out at 2pm. Oddly enough, I was less swolen and in less pain the day after the procedure and was allowed to go home after just an overnight. Dr. Frankel, my robotic surgeon's weekend attending physician, said that only happens in about 2% of the operations they perform. It was when I got home Saturday evening I kinda forgot that I had major surgery a day earlier. I stressed myself out physically by Monday. I think, however, I am past the threshold where I can only feel better and I'm playing it a bit smarter. As much as I want to "will" my healing, it will only occur in nature's time.

Right now, my daily exercise is punctuated by a catheter as a "fashion statement". If I keep moving, however, I feel so much better so I'm okay with lugging it around. I go back to Sloan on Friday to have it removed. It's not something you get used to!

No driving for three weeks, no heavy lifting for 5 weeks, but I plan to be back at work well before that. In heavy lifting, I'm sure they were not referring to my mind!

Will is at home recovering....

Dear Family and Friends,

 

I wanted to keep you all up to date on Will's progress since his surgery on Friday, October 22, 2010.  His surgery went well and the surgeon thinks that he is now cancer free.  He was released from the hospital the next day and sent home to recover.  Recovery has been somewhat difficult but he is holding up as expected. He is taking it one day at a time and is determined to be back on his feet and better than ever in 6 to 8 weeks.

 

We want to thank all of you who have sent him prayers because it has surely worked.  Thanks so much to all those who sent flowers, food, cards, emails and phone calls. These wonderful actions mean a great deal to our family and let us know just how much you all care for us. Please keep reaching out, we want to hear from you

 

With sincere appreciation,

 

Pat, Will and Patricia Wright

112 Sunken Meadow Rd.

Northport, NY 11768

631-269-2128

516-315-1925 Will's cell

631-988-1839 Pat's cell

Back into the breach!

It is 11pm Thursday October 21, 2010 and I am 8 1/2 hours away from another stint at Memorial Sloan Kettering. I was last at Sloan August 12th, where Dr. Guido Dalbagni and his surgical team removed roughly 20% of my left kidney and eradicated my renal cell carcinoma This time, Dr. Vincent Laudone will operate a surgical robot to do laparoscopic surgery to remove my prostate gland. I, along with my surgical team are confident that this will end the prostate cancer that was detected back in July.

One can't underestimate the impact of friends, colleagues and co-workers when it comes to the mental state of cancer survivors. Friends who came to visit, colleagues who welcomed me back to work, family who recommitted their love for me, all this has been priceless. Knowing that I had to re-enter the hospital in a month, the warmth, welcome and affection recharged my determination making this re-entry a lot more tolerable.

I could name names of those who had particular positive impact on my psyche. Of course there are my two Patricias who have fulfilled my childhood dream to have a home filled with women who love me. There's Dave and Shayna who came by every other day to make sure I walked at least a mile to regain my strength. My co-worker and partner Tim Peek with his special blend of intellect and inspiration, My Boss Alex who makes me light up every time I meet with her, John and Naomi on the job who are superior team leaders led by David, who is warm and wonderful. Tiran, Finn and Jacqui who are my extended family. Talking about family, regularly hearing from the big and little sisters Bev and Geri kept me connected to my roots. Then there are all my wonderful friends on Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. My underground tribes of Kostume Kult and Disorient gave some awesome events that made me feel so creative and alive! All this and more make me look forward to opening my eyes 13 hours from now when my surgery is scheduled to be completed.

You know, after I recovered from the renal cell operation, I felt a love and appreciation for everyone I encountered. I say "hello" to everyone who catches my eye and smile with sincerity and meaning. I look forward to chatting with Drew DiCamillo, my partner in pain who helped get me through that first round at Sloan. This operation, though less invasive, is more difficult to physically overcome. Through either evolution or divine providence, we were created almost perfectly with all of our bodily functions well laid out and engineered on a level that only godly intellect could conceive. A radical prostatectomy strongly inteferes with that order. It challenges whether my mind can muster the godly work to repair and compensate for what I am about to lose. I take solace in knowing that I am not alone. That I have all of you.So I ask, if after this procedure, if I appear a little "off" please be patient. I can assure you that after this cancer is removed, I will be better.

Hello Friends and Family...

It has been an extraordinary journey from Thursday August 12th to today, Wednesday the 18th. As you all know last Thursday Dr. Guido Delbagni and his surgical team did a partial nephrectomy on my left kidney. I was told the cancerous material was about the size of a leche nut, and was successfully scooped out with 80-85 percent of my existing kidney intact. Dr. Delbagni says it is great likelihood that this problem is now behind me. Dr. Delbagni and his team will  also advise and implement the treatment for my prostate cancer. When I go back for my followup in two weeks, we will tackle that issue so I will have more on that later.

When someone is told they have cancer at two different sites in the same week, one would think that the patient would have fears, panic, a crisis of confidence and survival concerns. Fortunately, those were not associated with me. I felt that there was a learning experience and a challenge to my basis beliefs in cause-and-effect. There is a reason for everything, and it is closely correlated with how you live your life. So I felt I was okay in the karma department.

I then sought my answers elsewhere. After the surgery I found I had zero tolerance for the IV narcotics and had to suffer with a 6-7 inch slice on my left side with just Tylenol and Tramadol. I found that the pain of the incision with a clear head and no nausea was better that the narcotic fog with dry heaves. It did make for a very difficult adjustment just trying to be comfortable. In the first three days of the operation I felt that my goal of being back in the world in 3-4 weeks was unobtainable. The pain was excruciating but with a clear mind, I was able to draw strength from fellow patients. My room mate David (leaving off last names for privacy) had a beautiful bonded family. He was from NJ, his family came up from Florida to be with him. They even put their believed pet in a Pet Motel which they called twice a day. They were not rich, nor were they privileged, but there was a love so bountiful that it also fed and nurtured me.

Among the things we were required to do were 14 laps around the hall every 24 hours which represented a mile of walking. A physical therapist would get you started but then it was up to you. At first, without the therapist egging you on, it was easy for me to stay curled up in the bed. That very angry gash on my left side would explode with an unmanageable of pain with the slightest movement. That's when I met Duane, a guy who the nurses staff referred to as "The Jogger". Duane was in for a week of Chemo, but he refused to wear the perfunctory gown with the tusshie exposed in the back. By comparison, some chemo patients were in private rooms where the only way to visit with them was to put on surgical scrubs and face masks. But Duane's mentality was different. He was far worse off than me, but was inspirational.  He told me, get up often, take a shower, dress like you are ready to go home, and you will feel a sense of satisfaction and dignity that will carry you through. That was such good advice because after that, I would get up at 3am to begin my laps. I would do 3 or 4 laps, then nap until "Way Too Early" on MS, watch the top of "Morning Joe" then do 3 or 4 laps more. By the end of "The Today Show", I would shower, get dressed in real clothes and meet up with Duane for laps around the building. Then there was Aaron who was another late night walker whose cancer operation was similar to mine. He too was nauseated by the narcotics. I told him of my approach and the next night we both were saying "no" to dope and even convinced my roommate  David too. In one fell swoop, we all felt better, and we were able to eat since nausea was no longer a factor.

Two days out when I started eating, I discovered that Sloan's room service was 4-Star hotel quality. The food was excellent and prepared specifically for you with all dietary requirements observed. My roommate David was Jewish and his family loved the fact that MSK has a "Sabbath Elevator" and a Glott Kosher menu. If it were not a hospital, it would not be a bad place to hang out!

My first three days of bathing were difficult. I was hooked up to all kinds of IV tubes and needed assistance. A wonderful, professional RN named Veronica would assist me through my modesty. It was one less thing to worry about.

I was ready to leave MSK on Sunday, but tests showed that I was still severely anemic and my internal organs had not yet begun to function in unison. I was told this is common in invasive surgery procedures. So I had to get two pints of red cells transfused and await the results of more tests. Late Monday afternoon I got the OK to leave but the two hour ride home and change of venue showed me how weak my body still was. Then the pain of the incision took center stage and I had a slight relapse because the the stress of my distended abdomen on the incision.

I figured out what the difference was, and that was exercise. I am back to walking that mile, eating regularly though light soups and smoothies. My digestive system has kicked in, pressure on the wound is lessened.

I now face the challenge of prostate cancer, but knowing what I know about pain and pain management, it is likely to be the least invasive procedure that preserves my nerve cells. After all, I still have a young and beautiful wife!

I thank you all for the well wishes, flowers, calls and friendship.  Thank you, and I will keep you posted.

Will
631-269-2128 home

Will is Home At Last!!!

Hello Famikly and Friends,

I thought they were going to hold him at MSK forever but they finally released him Monday afternoon.  They kept him an extra day because his red blood cell count was low.  This was what he went to see his doctor for in the first place. They did additional tests and decided that it was safe to release him.  What a relief, we are so blessed.!  There were so many other people on the same floor that he was on who had more severe problem; some had to have chemo and others had only a short time to live.

Will has not been able to tolerate the pain killers that were precribed for him so he is going through a difficult period  right now. The muscles around the incisions to remove his left kidney are some of the thickest muscles in the body so he has to be very careful to keep the stitches in place for proper healing. In 1977, I donated my left kidney to my brother, so I know what he is going through and it is  a very painful healing process 

As I write this, I pray for everyone who has to go through this trauma and wish the best outcome for them.

Your calls, emails, notes, visits, and those beautiful flowers have helped Will through these trying times. You are such wonderful people and I thank you for being there for my soul mate and the beautiful father of our incredible daughter!

Once again, thank you for your good wishes and your prayers.

Love, Light, and Blessings,

Will, Pat, and Patricia

August 12, 2010, Will Wright's First Day at MSK

Woke up this AM with thoughts of my many colleagues who are doing tremendous work.. Laughing along with Willie Geist "Way Too Early" ...the D-Backs' back-to-back-to-back home runs, the family of toddlers who terrorized the TODAY set yesterday! Trying to rough out next week's DJ eMag so my work partner Tim won't have to make himself crazy coming off vacation next week... All this while enjoying Chris Jansing filling in for Mika on Morning Joe. Wife Pat barks at me "enough!" gotta get out the house. True, this is no ordinary day! Will

So, now the three of us are on the 7:24 train out of Kings Park headed to MSK. Our spirits are high and we expect nothing but the best to come of this day! More later......

We arrived at MSK at 9:45 and finally at 1:45 Will went into Surgery. Now the wait begins.

It is now 3:50pm and we have just been informed that Will is coming out of surgery and into the recovery room. We are now waiting to get the results from his surgeon, Dr. Dalbagni.

4:20 Dr. Dalbagni told us that he removed the lump on the left kidney and found that the cancer had not spread into it so he was able to save the entire kidney. We are intoxicated with joy, This is such wonderful news!

We are now waiting,(once again, but happily this time), to go and see Will in recovery.

Friends and Family, thank you so much for your prayers and your support!