USA TODAY US Edition

Harvey brings a world of hurt beyond Houston

- Jeffrey Weiss

The specific geography of Hurricane Harvey, battering Houston with rain and winds, does not limit this hurricane’s victims.

I’m probably dying of brain cancer, glioblasto­ma, and Harvey is slowing down my access to one of the nation’s top experts on GBM. That’s a problem for me, and I’m sure I’m not the only one with a pressing need to see a specialist who could prolong my life.

My plan, set less than a week ago, was to take a trip from my home in Dallas to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. I was supposed to consult with medical experts on Wednesday and Thursday. As of now, MD Anderson is closed to outpatient­s, and no one knows when it will be back to normal.

This is not totally shocking to me. I grew up in Miami. I can remember the insanity of a few crazy hurricanes that did not follow the prediction­s of what they would whack. I’ve lived through some of the storms that hit near me and the house that my parents and I lived in for close to a half-century. So I’ve learned the surprise of the surprises. And how important it is to track the storms closely.

Here in Dallas, it was unlikely that Harvey would have much effect beyond a bit of rain and some breezes, depending on where it wandered. But I had vital plans for Houston. Last week, an MRI scan showed a new bit of tumor the size of a big grape. It looks like a recurrence.

GBM’s median survival is nearly 15 months. I’m about eight months through it. And MD Anderson is among the best places studying new treatments.

I had planned my visit for a time when I figured Harvey might be nasty but over. But my decades of experience had taught me to pay attention. The Weather Channel was totally focused. And it became clear that this storm was set to move — or not move — in an improbable way.

Instead of a standard storm with a relatively rapid track, this one was going to remain in southern Texas for days. And Houston? Floods could set historic records.

Southwest finally canceled my flight to Houston. I can’t make new plans and appointmen­ts until MD Anderson reopens. I can only hope that my cancer grows slowly enough that my chances for a new treatment won’t be killed, and Harvey will not have helped nudge me to the egress too soon.

It’s not knowable today. Maybe it won’t be for a couple of days. I keep watching The Weather Channel. And hoping.

Jeffrey Weiss, a longtime reporter who covered religion, faith and morality issues for more than a decade, was diagnosed with brain cancer in December. He's writing about his journey toward The Egress for Religion News Service and USA TODAY.

I’m probably dying of brain cancer, and Harvey is slowing down my access to one of the nation’s top experts

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