The second reading of my CT scan is consistent with the first: “Spots” in liver (and elsewhere) are benign. That means we can go ahead with scheduling the operation to remove the eye. However, the doctors here want to monitor my spots/cysts/lesions closely; so that means a CT scan every three months in the near term. Those scans will be done in Houston.

Scheduling the operation is the next hurdle. Because of Ike, they have a backlog of cases. Operation will be no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 23. We should hear later today regarding a date.

We did get better information on the surgery recovery process. For the operation itself, they will keep me overnight. They want to keep me “nearby” for a week under a compression patch. If the one week progress is good, they release me to go home and give me a referral for follow-up. Bruising and such should dissipate in 2-4 weeks. Some follow-up can be done in Lubbock. They then will want me back for another scan and follow-up in three months.

On the Ike aftermath report, more than half Houston remains without power. Traffic patterns in the Medical District appear to be back close to normal. We had breakfast at Cafe Anderson this morning. The area around our hotel remains without power.

So the plan now is to get the date for the operation. I really want to get back to Lubbock.

Wednesday night. We know nothing further.

We had been told Dr. Gombos’ office would call. And so we waited “patiently” (?) part of the day Wednesday to hear from Anderson. Then at 12:20 I left a voicemail for my advocate. She called back, apologetically, at 4:31 p.m. and said Dr. Gombos’ PA (Megan) would call in three minutes.

Note: Power was out in the hotel again; they were changing generators.

I walked all over the hotel parking lot looking for a spot with a reasonable signal so that I wouldn’t drop the call. (Nancy followed me every step.) The call didn’t come in three minutes. Or thirty. I tried calling, but, but after 5 p.m. they answer only to emergencies.

By this time they had the new generator back online at the hotel, so we headed back up to the room. At 5:24 p.m. one of those calls with ID blocked (Anderson?) came in, but it dropped as I answered. No follow-up. So we know nothing more, and we remain a captive of ignorance in a city in the early stages of recovery from a devastating storm.

Next time bring hiking boots and shorts. If the woman comes along, you don’t need a compass or GPS; she can find any Ross store or Target within five miles unaided.

More seriously, MD Anderson will resume “regular operation” Wednesday. I heard from my patient advocate at MD Anderson Tuesday morning that my scans were read last week before Ike arrived, and that someone from Dr. Gombos’ office should be contacting me Wednesday. That gives me hope that we might get some resolution this week … unless the second reading concludes I need a liver biopsy. That would mean another round of tests and analyses, which we are hoping to be done with.

Even though the hotel is running on a standby generator, they opened the restaurant on a minimal basis this evening. Nancy and I had $10 cheeseburgers (that included chips and soft drinks) as a way of saying “thank you” to a staff and manager who have just been golden during the Ike ordeal.