Personal Update: Time to Battle Cancer
I learned 7 weeks ago that I have 3 brain tumors after chasing the mysterious cause of my constant fatigue over the Summer. Not a cold open I thought I would ever have to write.
Since then, I had a whole bunch of scans and brain surgery (see post op pic) performed by a top notch surgeon and his team at BWH in Boston.
That surgery provided the analysis needed to determine that what I have is called Primary CNS Lymphoma. Sounds super scary (and, let's be honest, it is), but this type of cancer is often treatable.
I returned home on Sunday after my first week of in-hospital chemo treatment at DFCI. Thought a picture after kicking the first infusion would be worth sharing. No real side effects yet besides a head ache that won’t quit. Big test ahead this week since the oral chemo I take at home could be a doozy from what they tell me.
1st Chemo Drip October 11, 2023
I decided to share this here to attempt to humanize what my family and I are experiencing. While I can't partake in formal work or social activities for the foreseeable future, I still want to hear how everyone is doing and talk about the latest TV shows how well the Philly sports teams might be doing (fingers crossed!).
If I am lucky enough to see you again at a client meeting or a conference or an industry happy hour (wouldn't that be nice!), now you know why I might look different or don’t want to shake hands or might be wearing 100 masks and a full body suit to protect my immune system.
This also serves as a great reminder to not let the small stuff worry you and, of course, that you can only control what you can control. Sometimes we need to pivot and make the best of what life gives us. And by all means, please be kind to everyone since you don't know what they might be experiencing.
This is going to be a long road, but my wife, the rest of my family, and my friends have already proven to be very supportive to make the early part of this manageable. The management team and the rest of my colleagues at Sayari have been nothing short of incredible. My family and I thank you all so much.