The Zipperleg Chronicles - Fighting cancer with style!

Son of ZipperlegPosted on Fri, May 20, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, Spring is here, the weather is warming up, the trees are full and green and… I have a sarcoma in my lung.

Sorry, I can’t think of an easy way to say it.

While they are hesitating to call it a metastasis of my leg tumor until they can take it out and study it, one of the “suspicious” spots in my lungs has grown to almost half-an-inch in diameter, and is helpfully located right between my main aorta and spine. The good news is that it’s actually in a rather “accessible” spot, though what exactly that means, I have no idea The plan is to take it out and see what, exactly, it is before charting our future steps. And the other spots don’t seem to be interested in growing… yet…

Things are progressing about as fast as they can. We met with our oncologist and thoracic surgeon yesterday and have a game plan now. I will be going in for surgery next Friday, May 27th, to have the tumor removed. From all accounts, unless they’re just lying to be nice, it’s actually not that invasive of a procedure. They’ll make three incisions under my left arm and go in with video cameras, clippers and shovels and rakes and other implements of destruction.

I’ll be in the hospital for about a day, until they “take the tube out”, then I’ll be up and about. While I’ll be having to take it easy, I won’t be laid up for months like last time. I will only be able to lift 10 lbs or so for two weeks, so I’ll probably be working from home. But it’s recommended that I stay active to prevent any loss of motion in my arm. While I won’t be playing rugby any time soon, I never really played it anyway, so it works out!

Kristin is busy implementing a new diet for me, one I will actually stick to rigidly this time, based around fish, fruit, veggies and quinoia. My aunt has helpfully refilled my cabinet with Muscatine supplements, and we’re looking into whatever we can to fight back. I admit, I have basically had my head in the sand for the last two months, concentrating instead on getting happy and getting my leg working. Well, that’s over with. There will be some major changes in my life moving forward.

That’s all the news I have right now. I’ll send you more info as things progress.

I love you all.

– Ben

About the Author

An actor trained in physical theater, living in New York City, livin' the dream. I am married to an amazing woman without whom I'd probably be dead by now, and step-dad to the irrepressible Izzy! I sculpt masks, I juggle, I act, I design graphically-type-stuff, and when offered the choice between two evils, I take the one I've never tried before. I listen, I fly planes, I bike to the beach, I am a tea brewing ninja, I design new board games with my daughter, and I tell stories... too many stories. And while I used to be trying to learn to juggle my work, living in this city, my dreams, my wife, but now I am reminded every day they are all one, all my life, and every day is one more day I get to live it.