Dear Beloveds- should have posted this sooner but again, as usual, too busy running around having a good time- I won't be posting any more updates for a while(probably not till the summer when I'll have surgery to "re-attach" me (Yay!!!) My post-surgical pathology report was excellent, showing no signs of any cancer. 8 lymph nodes were tested and all negative. I've started a regimen of post-surgical chemo which should continue for a few months and hopefully make it very difficult for the the cancer to return or spread. In short, the outcome looks very positive and I'm a lucky man. Again I thank all of you for your love and support. You've all been an important part of my recovery. Love you all. Ivan

Dear Beloved Blog- Followers- First let me apologize for not updating sooner. I've been back from the hospital for a week and am just beginning to climb out from under the deluge of phone and e-mail messages awaiting me. I'm not complaining-I'm so happy to be home even lots of e-mails do not faze me(signs of life and normalcy-which is exactly what one needs after a surgical-hospital experience)

So, I could entertain and maybe even horrify you with hospital tales and tortures, but I won't and hopefully none of you will experience them first hand. The prognosis looks good. The surgeon was optimistic. Still waiting for the pathology report to arrive here in S.C. at my oncologist's office and then I'll know more specifics, but the surgeon was quite positive in speaking to my brother Michael after the surgery. She send down samples twice during surgery and they both times came up negative.

So I'm concentrating on getting back to my life-started teaching on Mon., took Michael and Susan to a few Open Studios on Sun., and tonight will see the Met televised version of Salome on a wide screen in San Jose. Can't keep this "culture-fresser" down !

I, again thank all of you for your support and love. It means alot to me and I'm sure it's part of the reason why I'm doing so well. That's all for now! Love, IR

At last, Ivan's really himself again--feels fine, all systems looking good; Michael arrived this morning to find him complaining to the orderly that his portion of eggs was tiny and could have been better seasoned, and where was his cream of wheat? Looks like he really will come home tomorrow (Wednesday) late in the day. So this is Susan signing off now; my reports have been somewhat bare-bones, I know, but Ivan told me to spare you the details. They're all his!

--too many days, and too much of them hard on Ivan. The liquid diet didn't sit well, so it was suspended to allow his system to clear up (a return of the dreaded nasal tube). But starting yesterday things seem to be settling down; the tube is out again, Ivan's more comfortable and better able to focus on reading, music, and an episode or so of Sex and the City. We think he'll try the liquid diet again tomorrow, maybe some solid food on Tuesday, and--WE HOPE--home on Wednesday? Stay tuned.

Ivan's digestive system is beginning to crank up, but more slowly than everyone had hoped, so looks like he'll be in the hospital another couple of days. It's a week so far, feels much longer! Battling relentless hiccups, sipping broth and apple juice, reminiscing with Michael, advising his doctors on medication, Ivan's worn down--but holding up.

Day 4 was, sorry to say, rather like 2 and 3; but today things seem to have turned a corner. Ivan feels better, and has shed the most aggravating of his various tubes; he took a shower, read the papers, and plans to watch the debate (maybe a bad idea?). Tomorrow he'll begin a liquid diet. It remains for his innards to begin functioning fully again. This is taking a little longer than expected, so the ETA for his homecoming is now Friday.

He still can't talk much without hiccupping, but will have lots to say--on the sociology of hospitals for starters--once he's posting his own blogs again. Looking forward to it!

It's not unusual, it seems, for the second and third days after surgery to be harder than the first, and so it has proved for Ivan. He's been pretty uncomfortable with reflux, hiccups, and related gastric woes; an NG tube was inserted this afternoon, which should bring some relief.

But his general recovery is on track; he has no problem sitting, walks sturdily, and is healing well. He snoozes when he can, and the time will pass.

From Susan, again. Turns out the operation was not 7 hours, but almost 9. For all that, Ivan's ahead of the curve in getting up and about; spent most of the day in a chair rather than bed, takes walks around the corridors with his drips in tow (looking, Michael says, like an outsize Jack Nicholson in "Good As It Gets")--he has his father's sturdy constitution. He was in some pain for a while--skimping on the medication to avoid feeling groggy; better now. A big complaint is thirst; all he's allowed is a lollipop sponge which he dips in water and sucks. No picnic, but overall the best that could be hoped for.

Tomorrow he'll probably be moved from Parnassus to Mt. Zion, his surgeon's base; home maybe Tuesday or Wednesday, and with luck, back to being his own (much more colorful!) blogger not long after that. More anon...

This is from Susan, Ivan's sister-in-law: I've just heard from Michael that Ivan's out of surgery and the operation, though long (about 7 hours), was a success; he's in recovery and doing fine, and the biopsies showed no sign of spread.

I'll write again when there's more to tell. Cheers!

10/01-Don't worry! I'm not about to compose a piece filled with rude noises and such, (actually if I had more time, I might do JUST THAT!), but I am feeling badly for my poor rectum which will be removed this Thurs in surgery. I hope it knows that's it's demise is not at all due to any failure on its part. Infact it has served faithfully lo these 66 years,well beyond the "call of duty," and deserves only gratitude. Needless to say I will miss it!

So surgery is this Thurs. 7:30 a.m. at aUCSF Mt. Parnassus campus and I guess I'm as ready as one can be in this situation. My brother will be with me for the whole stay in the hospital (from 4-6 days) and then through recovery back down in S.C. My wonderful sister-in-law Susan Nelson, will be holding down the fort for Toby and Jade down in S.C. for the hospital stay, so I'm feeling very well-supported. Susan will try to update the blog while I'm in the hospital so you all can get some news.

I look forward to my return to S.C. and to blogging. Cheers, Ivan