Post Game Confence - After the battle.

DATELINE: Thur March 12, 2009 at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center- Submitted by today's medical corespondent- Harry Grass

Afternoon meeting with John Seigne, M.D. regarding condition and recovery status of patient Benjamin Grass. In essence, the report at this point not quite 2 weeks post-op are very positive. Due to the fact that all 25 lymph nodes that were removed showed no evidence of disease, most of all that needs to be done now is solid recovery from the rigorous operation. Dr. Seigne feels that Ben is doing quite well with the recovery despite some pains and weird sensations Ben is experiencing at this point in time. In fact, judging from the doctor's comments, Ben is ahead of the typical recovery time line for this kind of operation. Remember, Ben is recovering from two, not one surgeries. Accordingly, all comments from Ben's medical team are positive.
He can travel to Colorado, he must continue to recuperate and he must restrict activity for a month or so more. Also, he is allowed to gradually begin minor exercise and stretching.

Follow-up will include blood marker tests, minimal scans and writing checks. Ben is to return for his first follow up visit with the doctor in about 2 1/2 months and will be followed rather closely for some time, as would any cancer patient. However, the prognosis is generally very good and odds of any reoccurance are in the zero to ten percent range.

Dr. Seigne credited Ben with being in good shape which made the surgery more successful and "cleaner" as opposed to someone with other health risks and an unhealthy inner condition to deal with. Ben is experiencing a bit of skin sensitivity at this time which may have been caused by a wee bit of nerve damage by one of the scalpels that was employed in the operation, however, this is projected to improve and eventually go away.

So, sportsfans, cancel the sky diving or bungee jumping you were planning to do with Ben this season and put it away for next year. If you want to read some poetry or watch Magic Kingdom on TV with Ben, that will be fine for now. He can eat your Aunt Sarah's
Mouusaka or anything else so, bring it on.

Keep those cards and letters coming and all donations should go to the Harry Grass Fund for the preservation of the Porsche in garage at 24984 Simmons Way.

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