Notes In Absentia

I want again to thank everyone for the wonderful expressions of concern and reassurance that I have received from listeners and readers.

In response to inquiries, and some quite detailed questions and advice, here is a brief update concerning my current temporary absence.

As I wrote, the removal of a cancerous lung mucinous adenoma carcinoma along with the lower right lung lobe roughly a month ago was successful.

But a post-op aneurism/bleed soon developed. That required a quick second reentry operation into the lung to stop the hemorrhaging—adding considerable time under anesthesia and requiring about five blood transfusions.

As a result, over the last 30 days, I developed low red blood counts, fatigue, and bouts of arterial fibrillation. All that has sort of slowed my recovery.

This type of nonsmoker’s lung cancer has a rare genetic/mutation profile. And it seems to recur about 40% of the time in the general lung area—even when, as in my case, the removed and biopsied lymph nodes, along with adjacent vascular/pleural samples, were all negative.

And the pre-op PET scan shows no signs of malignancy outside the lower right lung lobe.

Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are said to be not particularly effective against this rare sort of tumor mutation. But they can offer a 5%-10% edge in stopping recurrence.

So I’ll do a cost-benefit analysis, depending on how quickly I regain energy, to determine whether to start the preventative drug regimens.

The bottom line is that I’m hoping to come back as soon as possible. But I don’t know exactly when I’ll be back to near normal.

In the meantime, I hope to post things now and then on days when I feel better.

Sincerely—and again thanks to everyone!

Victor Davis Hanson

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