myparents’home,andoneatmyhospitalinBoston.We
made appointments at both places.
Bothsurgeonsofferedsurgery.Theywouldopenupthe
spinalcord—Ididn’tevenknowthatwaspossible—and
removeasmuchofthetumorastheycould.They’donly
beabletoremovepartofit,though.Thetumor’sprimary
sourceofdamagewasfromitsgrowthinsidetheconfined
spaceofthespinalcanal—thebeastwasoutgrowingits
cage.Theexpansionofthemasswascrushingthespinal
cordagainstthevertebralbone,causingpainaswellas
destructionofthenervefibersthatmakeupthecord.So
bothsurgeonsproposedalsodoingaproceduretoexpand
thespaceforthetumortogrow.They’ddecompressthe
tumor,by openingthebackof thespinalcolumn, and
stabilizethevertebraewithrods.It’d beliketakingthe
backwalloffatallbuildingandreplacingitwithcolumns
to hold up the floors.
The neurosurgeon at my hospital advocated operating
right away. The situation was dangerous, he told my
father.Hecouldbecomequadriplegicinweeks.Noother
options existed—chemotherapy and radiation were not
nearly as effective in stopping progression as surgery.
The operation had risks, he said, but he wasn’t too
worriedaboutthem.Hewasmoreconcerned aboutthe
tumor. My father needed to act before it was too late.
TheneurosurgeonattheClevelandClinicpaintedamore
ambiguouspicture.Whileheofferedthesameoperation,
he didn’tpushto doitrightaway. Hesaid thatwhile
somespinalcordtumorsadvancerapidly,he’dseenmany
takeyearstoprogress,andtheydidsoinstages,notallat
once.Hedidn’tthinkmyfatherwouldgofromanumb