Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl Fighting Throat Cancer

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Nuggets' coach again fighting cancer


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By Ric Bucher
ESPN The Magazine
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Denver Nuggets coach George Karl informed his team Tuesday afternoon that he is in another fight for his life with cancer.
Karl, who had been cancer-free since prostate surgery in July 2005, discovered a worrisome lump on his neck about six weeks ago. A biopsy determined that it was "very treatable and curable" form of throat cancer, Karl said, but it will still require an intense program of radiation and chemotherapy that will probably force him to miss some regular-season games.
"Cancer is a vicious opponent," he said. "Even the ones that are treatable, you never get a 100-percent guaranteed contract."

“ Cancer is a vicious opponent. Even the ones that are treatable, you never get a 100-percent guaranteed contract.
” -- Nuggets coach George Karl

Treatment will consist of 35 sessions over the next six weeks. The sessions are expected to leave his throat extremely raw, requiring him to be fed through his stomach in the final weeks. "Keeping up your nutrition is a big part of the challenge," he said.
But not the biggest part. "I don't know that I've come to terms with this yet," he said of the cancer's return. "I have friends and family praying for me and the whole spiritual aspect is keeping me strong. But I'm not Superman."
Karl's uncertain future prompted he and Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke to hash out a one-year, $4.5 million extension last weekend directly. Karl chose not to make his condition public until after he finished coaching the Western Conference squad on Sunday and could return home to break the news to his team. The West lost to the East 141-139 in front of a record crowd of 108,713 in Cowboys Stadium, running Karl's record to NBA All-Star Games to 0-4.
"I'm starting the treatments now in hopes I'll be ready to go once the playoffs start," he said.
The only hint of his new battle over the weekend were gold "Hoops for St. Jude" pins he and the rest of his coaching staff wore on their lapels during Sunday's game. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is one of the leading pediatric cancer programs in the world. Karl and NBA players Pau Gasol, Rudy Gay, Shane Battier, Danny Granger, Kevin Love and Steve Blake all committed to making $20,000 donations to St. Jude in December.
Less than a year after George had surgery to treat his cancerous prostate, his college-aged son Coby was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Coby also underwent successful surgery and has played for several NBA teams since.
The league normally restricts any use of logos or insignias outside of its purview, but commissioner David Stern, aware of Karl's condition, made an exception on Sunday.
The Nuggets have a press conference scheduled for 7 p.m. MT on Tuesday, where Karl will address his condition.
Ric Bucher covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine.

Denver Nuggets' George Karl fighting 'treatable' throat cancer - ESPN

[doc mercer]

Hope he don't have what one of my golf partners had

35 sessions ?


Ghees ... I hope when my time comes I have a quick heart attack from some young
FEMALE (I know damn well Old Timer would make a comment otherwise) on her knees "praising Herkey the Hawkeye"

[Dirty]

Nuggets coach Karl set to have cancer-related surgery






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Updated Mar 8, 2010 1:50 PM ET
DENVER (AP)

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl will miss Wednesday's game at Minnesota as he undergoes another round of cancer treatment.

Karl, who has neck and throat cancer, was scheduled for a surgical procedure Monday to have a feeding tube inserted into his stomach. He will also go through another chemotherapy session Tuesday.

Karl was diagnosed last month with cancer and is undergoing a rigorous six-week treatment program of radiation and chemotherapy.

He hopes to be back on the sideline Friday when the Nuggets travel to New Orleans.

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl surgery more treatment - NBA News - FOX Sports on MSN

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Karl receives treatment for blood clot

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DENVER -- Denver Nuggets coach George Karl has another blood clot in his right leg as he recovers from radiation and chemotherapy treatment for throat and neck cancer.


Karl
Karl's partner, Kim Van Deraa, wrote on her blog this weekend that the 58-year-old coach was rushed to the hospital Friday afternoon with the clot. She said doctors were trying to determine the cause because Karl already is on blood-thinning medication.
Van Deraa also writes that doctors reinserted a filter into his abdomen. The filter had been removed two weeks ago.
The filter prevents the clots from traveling to his heart or lungs. It initially was inserted in March when Karl was first treated for blood clots.
"He is okay and they are checking right now how the drip did last night and breaking more of the clot up and hopefully he will be able to go home [Sunday] night or [Monday] morning," Van Deraa told ESPN's Rick Reilly on Sunday.
Van Deraa and Karl, who are raising their 5-year-old daughter, Kaci, together, had been writing increasingly upbeat blog posts about Karl's slow recovery from squamous cell carcinoma.
But the latest post said Karl mentioned his right big toe was hurting Friday and that it felt swollen, so Van Deraa called Karl's doctor, who set up an ultrasound.
She wrote that "it turned out he has a blood clot in the same right leg so he was admitted to the hospital to break up the clot."
Karl was diagnosed with cancer late last year and informed his players and the media after coaching the Western Conference in the All-Star Game in February. He began a grueling six-week treatment of radiation and chemotherapy that eventually sidelined him in mid-March.
He had hoped to return to coaching in the playoffs but his treatment caused him to lose 25 pounds along with his strength and stamina. His voice is a raspy whisper, his mouth full of sores and his neck red and tender from the radiation.
The Nuggets were 42-21 under Karl but went 12-12 under acting coach Adrian Dantley and were eliminated by the Utah Jazz in six games in the opening round of the playoffs.
Karl hopes to return to the Nuggets this summer so he can participate in the team's busy offseason.
Owner Stan Kroenke said Karl's health is the top priority now for the Nuggets, who degenerated from a championship contender to a dysfunctional squad during Karl's absence.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.




Denver Nuggets coach George Karl hospitalized again for blood clot - ESPN