Hunter College Memories

 Two week ago, Jeanne Lamont, a friend from college died from cancer. She was a medical doctor. I kept up with her career through Pat Pasqual who was also at Hunter and who had known Jeanne from high school. The last time I spoke with her was during her trip east when she visited Pat. Although I couldn't meet with her at that time, we did chat on the telephone. Her death made me recall the close friendships that I developed while a student at Hunter College of the City University of New York. I haven't seen many of those friends since my Hunter years, we continue to be in touch through each other.

I can remember Friday afternoons when  I would walk over to Roosevelt House on East 65th street. We would meet there to chat, catch up on the latest in your lives, and eat dinner. Sometimes, we would have a speaker come and talk about a topic of interest to us. It was a relaxing time. Through our times at Roosevelt House or during winter break in Connecticut the friendships w5ere nurtured and grew.

The City University of New York is a gem in higher education in the United States. Hunter prepared me for engagement in the world in my professional life. I am grateful. Hunter has structurally changed since I graduated from there in 1969 but I still feel connected to it after over 50 years.

Filling the Medical Gap

So much has happened since the last time I posted, I don't know where to start. The time since my kidney transplant on February 10, 2020 which I described previously. At that time the doctors noticed the spot on my upper lung. I told them that I knew it was there and that it was examined by  Wellspan in 2016 and a couple of years afterward and they didn't notice a change in size. UMMC doctors said that it should be watched which they did. I was referred to Dr. Britten who examined me and had me take more recent x-rays. I did that at the middle of January 2021. I received a call from Dr. Britt who said he read the x-ray and he saw something that he thought his colleague Dr. Burroughs would be better to look at. He said that I would receive a call from Burrough's office for an appointment. I saw Dr. B on April 9.

The appointment seemed strange and frightening to me. He was very methodical in his examination of the x-rays. He talked about the different types of cancers. As soon as he mentioned the "C" word my mind wondered. I didn't think this was a meeting concerning cancer. He did say lung cancer is a slow moving cancer. He wouldn't know what my spot could be unless he operated. He also said there were three possiblilities: Not do anything; do a biopsy which would not be conclusive; have the surgery.

I want you to know that I had surgery on Thursday, 22 July at the University of Maryland Medical Center. For the past 6 years, my x-rays showed a spot on my right lung.over a two year period it had not grown. Following my transplant surgery, they indicated that it should be watched for any changes. When I took x-rays at the beginning of year, the doctors noticed that there was a change in size. They could not tell whether it was an infection or cancer.  There were several  options  suggested  and I chose to have the operation and get a definitive  answer. I had the operation on Thursday. The pathology department reported that the spot was cancerous and the surgeon had to remove the upper right lobe of the right lung.which contained the cyst. The surgeon did not see any other suspicious  spots. I will be here a few more days before I return to Gettysburg. In general, the surgeon is pleased with the outcome.

I did not share my medical issue with too many people not knowing what the outcome would be. I am pleased with the outcome.

I am thankful to God who continues to preserve, protect and provide for the creation.

In Peace,
Nelson