Dear journal,
It doesn't pay to get over-confident or neglectful.
I was flying too high after the success of the "Make It A Great Day!" Race. Organizers like Heidi, the various pledges, and all the racers were so inspirational and uplifting. By then, I was also well along in my recovery from the bladder infection. I was looking forward to a fantastic summer.
But it wasn't to be. In early July, I came down with gout, despite all my vitamins, supplements, and (relatively) clean living. I must realize it is simply an occasional by-product of this affliction. Fortunately, this cleared just before a wonderful day-trip arranged by my friend Paul and his buddies to Citifield to see the Mets pull off a wonderful comeback, extra-inning victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. I concluded that neither team, however, was nearly strong enough to make the playoffs or World Series. So much for MY judgment.
Then, on Tuesday, August 2, I began to feel pressure in my chest. I'd been there before. And so, I scheduled an immediate doctor appointment, and expressed my concern. Might another case of pneumonia be on the way? Would I be able to head it off?
I was placed on medication immediately and hunkered down, hoping that this pro-active approach would work. It didn't.
By Wednesday night, I was in the hospital, gasping for air, my temperature sky-rocketing. I was given respiratory therapy, blasted with antibiotics, and x-rayed. I spent my first-ever night in the hospital since my humble birth in 1951. I was unable to adequately breathe, or get any sleep. I did not want to be there.
Late the next day, I had marginally improved, and I begged to be sent home. The doctor agreed. But within a day, my temperature had once again spiked, and I packed my bag for a return visit to the hospital. Before leaving, however, I temporarily increased my dose of ibuprophen, and then awaited the results. Luckily, temp readings slowly began to decline, and the mad drive to the hospital was cancelled.
However, trials and tribulations were not yet ended. I was forced to "sleep" in my easy chair for the next two weeks, as I was unable to breathe while lying down without gagging. All activities were curtailed, and I slowly nursed myself back into recovery mode. It took forever. By mid-September, I was breathing normally, though quite winded and weak.
By this time, I was at least able to join in some wonderful activities. My brother and sister-in-law came into town for a week's visit. We attended and enjoyed a huge family reunion on Saturday, September 17. Then our friends from England, Lyn and Steve, arrived for a two-week stay and tour of the Great Northeast. It helped revive me to see them all. Memorable times!
Recent x-rays have shown that my pneumonia has completely disappeared. At this writing, however, I am thoroughly exhausted, unsteady, and almost unable to move. I have gained a few pounds, have failed to adequately watch my nutrition, and am not exercising or sleeping at all well.
I realize I must turn all this around. The doctors have done their part. It is now up to me. The coming weeks will be telling.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Last week I wrote about Kathy Giusti, the business executive who made a turn in life to focus her substantial talents on raising funds for the fight against the blood cancers. That so many cancer victims are still alive today is testament to her devotion and talents.
New York's Capital Region has its own version of Kathy Giusti. Last week, she used her incredible drive and skills to make her own contribution in the battle against cancer.
On Saturday, June 4, the "Make It A Great Day" Race raised over $8000 for the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation, a fund that provides financial assistance to those locals who lack the full resources to win the fight against cancer. Some 80 or so runners took advantage of perfect weather and wonderful countryside to run a half-marathon, and seek pledges for the CDCRF. Those who prefer to stroll rather than run added to the CDCRF coffers by walking a mile. It was a phenomenal success.
Many volunteers, too many to name, contributed their efforts to this event, and have won our thanks. But one name was responsible for it all.
If there is such a thing as a cancer fund-raiser Hall of Fame, we must now add the name of Heidi Bentley Barcomb.
Heidi used her contacts, skills, drive, and devotion to organize this event and make it a success. She proved herself to be a one-woman tornado. A neophyte like me has no idea what it takes to assemble an event such as this. It never occurred to me at the start of planning that we would need a race route, timers, T-shirts, sponsors, banners, forms, charts, tables, road signs and cones, ditty bags, water stations, police coverage, an Internet presence, staff, magnets, pencils, prizes, music, microphones, local support, adverts, furniture, etc, etc, etc. I realize now that it is a monumental undertaking.
And Heidi pulled it off. It was a phenomenal success.
And so I offer my enthusiastic congratulations to her. I know she is already planning for next year's event, with ideas to make it bigger and better, if such a thing is possible. I also offer my thanks to the army of volunteers who helped to make it work. Finally, I want to express my admiration for and congratulations to the winners of the race, Peter Zimmons and Kristin Grab. You made it look too easy!
And stay tuned to Heidi's foundation, thedragonflyadventure.com. More is yet to come, if I know Heidi.
New York's Capital Region has its own version of Kathy Giusti. Last week, she used her incredible drive and skills to make her own contribution in the battle against cancer.
On Saturday, June 4, the "Make It A Great Day" Race raised over $8000 for the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation, a fund that provides financial assistance to those locals who lack the full resources to win the fight against cancer. Some 80 or so runners took advantage of perfect weather and wonderful countryside to run a half-marathon, and seek pledges for the CDCRF. Those who prefer to stroll rather than run added to the CDCRF coffers by walking a mile. It was a phenomenal success.
Many volunteers, too many to name, contributed their efforts to this event, and have won our thanks. But one name was responsible for it all.
If there is such a thing as a cancer fund-raiser Hall of Fame, we must now add the name of Heidi Bentley Barcomb.
Heidi used her contacts, skills, drive, and devotion to organize this event and make it a success. She proved herself to be a one-woman tornado. A neophyte like me has no idea what it takes to assemble an event such as this. It never occurred to me at the start of planning that we would need a race route, timers, T-shirts, sponsors, banners, forms, charts, tables, road signs and cones, ditty bags, water stations, police coverage, an Internet presence, staff, magnets, pencils, prizes, music, microphones, local support, adverts, furniture, etc, etc, etc. I realize now that it is a monumental undertaking.
And Heidi pulled it off. It was a phenomenal success.
And so I offer my enthusiastic congratulations to her. I know she is already planning for next year's event, with ideas to make it bigger and better, if such a thing is possible. I also offer my thanks to the army of volunteers who helped to make it work. Finally, I want to express my admiration for and congratulations to the winners of the race, Peter Zimmons and Kristin Grab. You made it look too easy!
And stay tuned to Heidi's foundation, thedragonflyadventure.com. More is yet to come, if I know Heidi.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
In 1998, Kathy Giusti was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. At age 37, she was the young mother of an 18-month old daughter who now faced the tragic loss of a parent afflicted with a possibly-terminal blood cancer. A family disaster was in the offing.
Kathy reacted at first like many another young parent. Afraid that her new daughter would never know or remember her, she began to take steps to preserve her story for her child's future. As many of us would, she wanted to be able to speak to her daughter after her death.
But Kathy Giusti was not just any young mother, cringing in fear. She was, in fact, a high-flying business executive who had served as a powerful business leader, including a stint at drug-maker Searle as head of its arthritis division. As such, she quickly went to work.
Kathy created the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, an organization designed to raise money for research and contribute to efforts to find treatments for this terrible affliction. Using her name and skills, Kathy generated a stunning $165 million in funds. Later, in 2004, she created the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium, an agency designed to encourage researchers to work collectively with business in such a way that would optimize the speedy development of new treatments.
Kathy still lives today. She is in remission, and has made it possible for her children to get to know her. Through her work, she saved herself, and tens of thousands like her, including this writer.
Kathy's efforts have obviously paid off. She is directly responsible for four new drugs. What's more, she has furthered the model for clinical research and development, paving the way for dozens of other similar efforts. Genomics, data management, tissue banking, and clinical trials have all been advanced by her work.
As you can imagine, multiple myeloma sufferers all owe Kathy Giusti, and hold her in the highest regard. And the nation has honored her as well. She has been recognized for her work by the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Forbes, CNBC, the NBC Nightly News, the CBS Evening News, and Time, being named by that august publication as a member of the Time 100 for 2011. She has received the Harvard Business School Entrepreneurial Award, the Partners in Progress Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Centennial Medal for Distinguished Public Service from the American Association for Cancer Research.
And her work is not done. Today, she serves at the Institute of Medicine on the National Cancer Policy board, having been appointed to that post by President Bush in 2003. In addition, she is a member of the Board of Directors for IMS Health, an international company that supplies the pharmaceutical industry with sales data and consulting services. And she continues to pressure the FDA to optimize the development and approval of effective new medicines.
Thus, in her effort to leave a legacy for her children, she has left one also for cancer sufferers everywhere, including me.
Readers can do their own part to continue the work of Kathy Giusti. Please contribute to the upcoming "Make It A Great Day" Race, a walk and half-marathon to be held in Center Brunswick, NY, starting at Tamarac MS/HS, on Saturday, June 4, 2011, sponsored by www.thedragonflyadventure.com. Your donations benefit the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation, an organization which helps make it possible for less-advantaged denizens of New York's capital region to take advantage of the advances in cancer treatment. In so doing, you'll help give cancer patients a chance to get to know their own families.
And, in your own way, you'll mirror the efforts of Kathy Giusti, a modern-day miracle worker.
Kathy reacted at first like many another young parent. Afraid that her new daughter would never know or remember her, she began to take steps to preserve her story for her child's future. As many of us would, she wanted to be able to speak to her daughter after her death.
But Kathy Giusti was not just any young mother, cringing in fear. She was, in fact, a high-flying business executive who had served as a powerful business leader, including a stint at drug-maker Searle as head of its arthritis division. As such, she quickly went to work.
Kathy created the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, an organization designed to raise money for research and contribute to efforts to find treatments for this terrible affliction. Using her name and skills, Kathy generated a stunning $165 million in funds. Later, in 2004, she created the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium, an agency designed to encourage researchers to work collectively with business in such a way that would optimize the speedy development of new treatments.
Kathy still lives today. She is in remission, and has made it possible for her children to get to know her. Through her work, she saved herself, and tens of thousands like her, including this writer.
Kathy's efforts have obviously paid off. She is directly responsible for four new drugs. What's more, she has furthered the model for clinical research and development, paving the way for dozens of other similar efforts. Genomics, data management, tissue banking, and clinical trials have all been advanced by her work.
As you can imagine, multiple myeloma sufferers all owe Kathy Giusti, and hold her in the highest regard. And the nation has honored her as well. She has been recognized for her work by the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, the Economist, Forbes, CNBC, the NBC Nightly News, the CBS Evening News, and Time, being named by that august publication as a member of the Time 100 for 2011. She has received the Harvard Business School Entrepreneurial Award, the Partners in Progress Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Centennial Medal for Distinguished Public Service from the American Association for Cancer Research.
And her work is not done. Today, she serves at the Institute of Medicine on the National Cancer Policy board, having been appointed to that post by President Bush in 2003. In addition, she is a member of the Board of Directors for IMS Health, an international company that supplies the pharmaceutical industry with sales data and consulting services. And she continues to pressure the FDA to optimize the development and approval of effective new medicines.
Thus, in her effort to leave a legacy for her children, she has left one also for cancer sufferers everywhere, including me.
Readers can do their own part to continue the work of Kathy Giusti. Please contribute to the upcoming "Make It A Great Day" Race, a walk and half-marathon to be held in Center Brunswick, NY, starting at Tamarac MS/HS, on Saturday, June 4, 2011, sponsored by www.thedragonflyadventure.com. Your donations benefit the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation, an organization which helps make it possible for less-advantaged denizens of New York's capital region to take advantage of the advances in cancer treatment. In so doing, you'll help give cancer patients a chance to get to know their own families.
And, in your own way, you'll mirror the efforts of Kathy Giusti, a modern-day miracle worker.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
As I compose this message, I am sitting in a motel room at the Best Western Fireside Inn along Moonstone Beach in Cambria, California. This incredible hamlet, with its maze of rustic boardwalks serving as a “cliff stroll” more beautiful even than the one in Newport, Rhode Island, plus its plethora of quaint shops lining the street, lies about half-a-dozen miles south of San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. You’re missing something if you choose not to come here.
Bride and I are here because of the new role that the notion of family now plays in our lives. It’s been a year now since my diagnosis and the commencement of my treatment, and like anyone who faces an event of that import, we’ve experienced an adjustment in our priorities and attitudes. Retirement has presented us the opportunity to reconnect with relatives and friends, and so we made a recent decision to trek to the west coast to visit with Donna’s niece, her husband, and her sons, as well as with my aunt, uncle, and cousin, all people who mean a lot to us. As they always say, life is short.
There are some perks that accompany a “relative quest.” The train ride from Albany to Chicago to Los Angeles to San Clemente was a first for us, and quite an experience. Overnight train travel can be arduous. Our first berth was, for instance, extremely claustrophobic and uncomfortable, and I wondered at first if we had made a mistake. However, the next room, acquired after a train change in Chicago, was a significant improvement, and we enjoyed the scenery out the window, especially the elk in the Rockies that were racing the train through the falling snow.
Our niece lives in a beautiful home in San Juan Capistrano, seconds from the beach. The weather was unseasonably warm and the sun ever-present, making our tour of the famed mission there quite a stunning experience. The gardens are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. We saw one swallow, and lots of history. Later we had an exquisite dinner with drinks on the Fisherman Dock (which shook with each crashing wave), toured a luxury home high on a cliff above the ocean, and spied Casa Pacifica a short distance away, the former estate of Richard Nixon.
Speaking of presidents, we toured the Nixon Library and birthplace, nestled in a residential neighborhood in nearby Yorba Linda. The visit definitely gave me a new, more sympathetic impression of the man. I was photographed at his graveside, and got to listen to the famed 18 minute gap in a Watergate tape, with its notorious 9 clicks, all part of a display in the museum there. Two days later, we visited the massive Reagan Library, high on a mountain above the Simi Valley, north of Los Angeles. The views must equal Grand Canyon in grandeur, and the entire installation is awe-inspiring. Visitors can tour the Reagan-era Air Force One, nestled on pylons in an enormous hanger there, step into an exact replica of the Oval Office, and experience, in one display, what it must have been like to have been, on that famous March 1981 day, in the center of the assassination attempt on the President. If you come, expect to be over-whelmed. And for those who accuse this monument to be typical conservative Republican bloviation, I want to point out that one of its trustees, his name one of many I noted to be carved in marble in the lobby, serves as President Obama’s top economic advisor.
Tomorrow, we will visit the renowned Hearst Castle, built by the mercurial William Randolph Hearst, the famed newspaper tycoon, having this afternoon driven many miles north along the famous Pacific Coast Highway, its reputation for spectacular natural beauty well deserved. Later in the week, I join my brother and his wife for a visit to my treasured uncle, aunt, and cousin near San Francisco, before boarding Amtrak once again for the return trip home.
I feel like I’m making full use of the new life given me. I know I’m a lucky man.
Bride and I are here because of the new role that the notion of family now plays in our lives. It’s been a year now since my diagnosis and the commencement of my treatment, and like anyone who faces an event of that import, we’ve experienced an adjustment in our priorities and attitudes. Retirement has presented us the opportunity to reconnect with relatives and friends, and so we made a recent decision to trek to the west coast to visit with Donna’s niece, her husband, and her sons, as well as with my aunt, uncle, and cousin, all people who mean a lot to us. As they always say, life is short.
There are some perks that accompany a “relative quest.” The train ride from Albany to Chicago to Los Angeles to San Clemente was a first for us, and quite an experience. Overnight train travel can be arduous. Our first berth was, for instance, extremely claustrophobic and uncomfortable, and I wondered at first if we had made a mistake. However, the next room, acquired after a train change in Chicago, was a significant improvement, and we enjoyed the scenery out the window, especially the elk in the Rockies that were racing the train through the falling snow.
Our niece lives in a beautiful home in San Juan Capistrano, seconds from the beach. The weather was unseasonably warm and the sun ever-present, making our tour of the famed mission there quite a stunning experience. The gardens are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. We saw one swallow, and lots of history. Later we had an exquisite dinner with drinks on the Fisherman Dock (which shook with each crashing wave), toured a luxury home high on a cliff above the ocean, and spied Casa Pacifica a short distance away, the former estate of Richard Nixon.
Speaking of presidents, we toured the Nixon Library and birthplace, nestled in a residential neighborhood in nearby Yorba Linda. The visit definitely gave me a new, more sympathetic impression of the man. I was photographed at his graveside, and got to listen to the famed 18 minute gap in a Watergate tape, with its notorious 9 clicks, all part of a display in the museum there. Two days later, we visited the massive Reagan Library, high on a mountain above the Simi Valley, north of Los Angeles. The views must equal Grand Canyon in grandeur, and the entire installation is awe-inspiring. Visitors can tour the Reagan-era Air Force One, nestled on pylons in an enormous hanger there, step into an exact replica of the Oval Office, and experience, in one display, what it must have been like to have been, on that famous March 1981 day, in the center of the assassination attempt on the President. If you come, expect to be over-whelmed. And for those who accuse this monument to be typical conservative Republican bloviation, I want to point out that one of its trustees, his name one of many I noted to be carved in marble in the lobby, serves as President Obama’s top economic advisor.
Tomorrow, we will visit the renowned Hearst Castle, built by the mercurial William Randolph Hearst, the famed newspaper tycoon, having this afternoon driven many miles north along the famous Pacific Coast Highway, its reputation for spectacular natural beauty well deserved. Later in the week, I join my brother and his wife for a visit to my treasured uncle, aunt, and cousin near San Francisco, before boarding Amtrak once again for the return trip home.
I feel like I’m making full use of the new life given me. I know I’m a lucky man.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
I was stunned yesterday by something unusual that occurred.
I took a few minutes during lunch to spin my radio dial, and happened upon the Rush Limbaugh Show.
I'm well aware that the arch-conservative talk radio host has a perhaps well-earned reputation as abusive, divisive, heartless, and reactionary.
Yesterday I found that there is another side to the man.
Once a year, Rush converts his entire three-hour show into a radiothon to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The fight against blood cancers is one of his greatest causes. Friday, April 15 was this year's day.
I learned for the first time that there is a lot of compassion and devotion in the man. His huge, nation-wide Excellence-in-Broadcasting (EIB) network has been raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society since 1989. Last year alone, his show collected $3 million. Just to prove that he is not all talk, it's been said that he personally has donated up to $400,000-$500,000 some years. I know he can afford it, but he didn't have to. Even sadder, while his critics are very quick to find fault with Limbaugh, his work on causes like this never get mentioned.
As a result, I must admit that this is all an enormous surprise to me, and, I imagine, to almost everyone else.
Using contributions like those from EIB's "Cure-a-thon", the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has helped lead the battle in blood cancer studies. For example, research for the chemotherapy drug Velcade, introduced in 2008 and critical in my remission, was funded in part by Rush and the Leukemia Society. It's apparent I owe Mr. Limbaugh, and those like him, an awful lot.
So do many people. Half-a-million Americans are now diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 154,000 likewise have learned that they are afflicted by Hodgkin's. 70,000, like me, suffer from myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow and blood. Fifteen Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma every hour. Six die.
Has all this research and funding helped? You better believe it. The five-year cancer survival rate was just 13% in the 1960's. It's now 39%. In the late 1970's, the five year survival rate for leukemia was 39%. In 2011, it is 55%. During the same time, the long-term survival rate for childhood leukemia is up 89%! Prior to the introduction of Velcade, patients could expect to survive for three years. Today, because of that miracle medication, it is ten years. Of the 39 new anti-cancer drugs approved by the FDA since the year 2000, half of them were for the fight against blood cancers.
There are cynics out there who will fault Limbaugh or the Leukemia Society for not doing more to fight ALL cancers. In a way, I can't blame them. Each of us knows someone for whom we are vitally concerned and wish to see saved. But no one can spread themselves so thin as to be able to battle every one of the world's causes. What's more, the research used to fight the blood cancers has led to breakthroughs in other cancers. Five of those drugs developed since 2000 are now being used to treat non-blood cancers, and 14 others are being tested against solid-tumor cancers, four of which are breast cancer. One can never predict where such research might lead.
I will fully admit my surprise in all this. I learned that even now I can be too quick to judge and criticize. What's more, such generosity can become contagious. In the course of yesterday's show, Donald Trump went live on the air to contribute $100,000. He has earned more of my esteem as well.
Each of us can do the same, albeit in our own limited way. I encourage you to join the "Make It A Great Day" Race, the half-marathon and walk now scheduled for Saturday, June 4, 2011, to start at the Tamarac campus in Brunswick, NY. You can now enroll or make your pledge on line at www.thedragonflyadventure.com. These funds will be donated to the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation, a regional charity that helps local residents lacking full resources to win the battle against their cancers.
You'd be surprising yourself, as I did, by sharing a cause with Rush and the Donald.
I took a few minutes during lunch to spin my radio dial, and happened upon the Rush Limbaugh Show.
I'm well aware that the arch-conservative talk radio host has a perhaps well-earned reputation as abusive, divisive, heartless, and reactionary.
Yesterday I found that there is another side to the man.
Once a year, Rush converts his entire three-hour show into a radiothon to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The fight against blood cancers is one of his greatest causes. Friday, April 15 was this year's day.
I learned for the first time that there is a lot of compassion and devotion in the man. His huge, nation-wide Excellence-in-Broadcasting (EIB) network has been raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society since 1989. Last year alone, his show collected $3 million. Just to prove that he is not all talk, it's been said that he personally has donated up to $400,000-$500,000 some years. I know he can afford it, but he didn't have to. Even sadder, while his critics are very quick to find fault with Limbaugh, his work on causes like this never get mentioned.
As a result, I must admit that this is all an enormous surprise to me, and, I imagine, to almost everyone else.
Using contributions like those from EIB's "Cure-a-thon", the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has helped lead the battle in blood cancer studies. For example, research for the chemotherapy drug Velcade, introduced in 2008 and critical in my remission, was funded in part by Rush and the Leukemia Society. It's apparent I owe Mr. Limbaugh, and those like him, an awful lot.
So do many people. Half-a-million Americans are now diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 154,000 likewise have learned that they are afflicted by Hodgkin's. 70,000, like me, suffer from myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow and blood. Fifteen Americans are diagnosed with multiple myeloma every hour. Six die.
Has all this research and funding helped? You better believe it. The five-year cancer survival rate was just 13% in the 1960's. It's now 39%. In the late 1970's, the five year survival rate for leukemia was 39%. In 2011, it is 55%. During the same time, the long-term survival rate for childhood leukemia is up 89%! Prior to the introduction of Velcade, patients could expect to survive for three years. Today, because of that miracle medication, it is ten years. Of the 39 new anti-cancer drugs approved by the FDA since the year 2000, half of them were for the fight against blood cancers.
There are cynics out there who will fault Limbaugh or the Leukemia Society for not doing more to fight ALL cancers. In a way, I can't blame them. Each of us knows someone for whom we are vitally concerned and wish to see saved. But no one can spread themselves so thin as to be able to battle every one of the world's causes. What's more, the research used to fight the blood cancers has led to breakthroughs in other cancers. Five of those drugs developed since 2000 are now being used to treat non-blood cancers, and 14 others are being tested against solid-tumor cancers, four of which are breast cancer. One can never predict where such research might lead.
I will fully admit my surprise in all this. I learned that even now I can be too quick to judge and criticize. What's more, such generosity can become contagious. In the course of yesterday's show, Donald Trump went live on the air to contribute $100,000. He has earned more of my esteem as well.
Each of us can do the same, albeit in our own limited way. I encourage you to join the "Make It A Great Day" Race, the half-marathon and walk now scheduled for Saturday, June 4, 2011, to start at the Tamarac campus in Brunswick, NY. You can now enroll or make your pledge on line at www.thedragonflyadventure.com. These funds will be donated to the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation, a regional charity that helps local residents lacking full resources to win the battle against their cancers.
You'd be surprising yourself, as I did, by sharing a cause with Rush and the Donald.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
In Memory of
Geraldine Ferraro
NY Congresswoman and 1984 candidate for Vice President
Multiple Myeloma patient
Geraldine Ferraro
NY Congresswoman and 1984 candidate for Vice President
Multiple Myeloma patient
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
"Go Out and Make it a Great Day!" Race Donation Information
Dear Friends and Family,
The Dragonfly Adventure Organization now has the ability to fundraise for Ed Peck’s “Go Out and Make it a Great Day!” ½ marathon and walk through active.com.
People may donate to the main page at:
http://www.active.com/donate/makeitagreatdaywalk
Or, you can start your own fundraising page by clicking "become a
fundraiser" at the top of that page.
Either way, Active will track the fundraising efforts, and send
confirmation emails to Heidi Bentley Barcomb (marathon organizer) and the owner of each additional page, for each donation received.
Please join us for this important fundraising event. During Ed’s Doctor visits and chemotherapy, he witnessed many patients needing financial assistance for their treatment. The money raised stays in the Capital District to help these patients.
Please join us on Saturday June 4th at Tamarac School for the race.
9:00 am – Half Marathon ($40.00 registration fee and tech race shirt)
10:00 am – Community Walk (Free race t-shirt for raising $50.00 or more)
The race website is; www.thedragonflyadventure.com
(Registration form and race information)
If you are unable to attend the race/walk and wish to make a donation, please log on to my donation page at:
http://www.active.com/donate/makeitagreatdaywalk/donnalangleypeck
Thanks so much to all of you over the past year for all your kind words, support, prayers, help, and love. You are forever appreciated!
Love, Donna and Ed
The Dragonfly Adventure Organization now has the ability to fundraise for Ed Peck’s “Go Out and Make it a Great Day!” ½ marathon and walk through active.com.
People may donate to the main page at:
http://www.active.com/donate/makeitagreatdaywalk
Or, you can start your own fundraising page by clicking "become a
fundraiser" at the top of that page.
Either way, Active will track the fundraising efforts, and send
confirmation emails to Heidi Bentley Barcomb (marathon organizer) and the owner of each additional page, for each donation received.
Please join us for this important fundraising event. During Ed’s Doctor visits and chemotherapy, he witnessed many patients needing financial assistance for their treatment. The money raised stays in the Capital District to help these patients.
Please join us on Saturday June 4th at Tamarac School for the race.
9:00 am – Half Marathon ($40.00 registration fee and tech race shirt)
10:00 am – Community Walk (Free race t-shirt for raising $50.00 or more)
The race website is; www.thedragonflyadventure.com
(Registration form and race information)
If you are unable to attend the race/walk and wish to make a donation, please log on to my donation page at:
http://www.active.com/donate/makeitagreatdaywalk/donnalangleypeck
Thanks so much to all of you over the past year for all your kind words, support, prayers, help, and love. You are forever appreciated!
Love, Donna and Ed
Monday, March 28, 2011
Race Information
Dear Friends, We are fast approaching the big "Go Out and Make it a Great Day!" Race.
On Saturday June 4th, there will be a Half Marathon and Community Walk at Tamarac School to honor Ed and raise money for the NYOH Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation. Ed chose this organization because he witnessed a number of cancer patients who needed financial assistance when he was going through his treatment. The money stays in the Capital District area to help these patients cope with their many needs. (for example - co-pay assistance, money for transportation to get to chemotherapy, etc.)
Heidi Bentley Barcomb has worked feverishly to arrange and co-ordinate this race. The time and work setting up this event has been monumental! There are many community members, friends, and family who are assisting, and they will be mentioned and thanked in a future blog entry. The race information and application is located on Heidi's website "The Dragonfly Adventure" http://www.thedragonflyadventure.com/
The Half Marathon will start at 9:00 am and the entry fee is $40.00. This will include a short-sleeved tech running shirt.
The Community Walk will start at 10:00 am and walkers who raise over $50.00 will receive a short-sleeved cotton t-shirt.
As Heidi mentioned on her website and facebook page: The Dragonfly Adventure is an organization dedicated to raise $5,000 for Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation. Our honoree, Ed Peck, is battling multiple myeloma. Ed is a former social studies teacher at Tamarac School. He touched the lives of students, and always told students to “Make it a Great Day”.
We understand that the Freihoffers Race is the same day. However, our race will still continue. Saturday had to be our race day choice due to availability and other logistics. We are confident that we will have a strong participation in the Great Day Race due to Ed's many supporters, and this highly important fundraising choice. I am truly amazed at some of Ed's many followers and former students who are traveling great distances to participate in the race and walk! If you are not able to make the race, please consider making a donation to this worthy cause.
Thank you - and we hope to see you at the race on Saturday June 4th!
On Saturday June 4th, there will be a Half Marathon and Community Walk at Tamarac School to honor Ed and raise money for the NYOH Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation. Ed chose this organization because he witnessed a number of cancer patients who needed financial assistance when he was going through his treatment. The money stays in the Capital District area to help these patients cope with their many needs. (for example - co-pay assistance, money for transportation to get to chemotherapy, etc.)
Heidi Bentley Barcomb has worked feverishly to arrange and co-ordinate this race. The time and work setting up this event has been monumental! There are many community members, friends, and family who are assisting, and they will be mentioned and thanked in a future blog entry. The race information and application is located on Heidi's website "The Dragonfly Adventure" http://www.thedragonflyadventure.com/
The Half Marathon will start at 9:00 am and the entry fee is $40.00. This will include a short-sleeved tech running shirt.
The Community Walk will start at 10:00 am and walkers who raise over $50.00 will receive a short-sleeved cotton t-shirt.
As Heidi mentioned on her website and facebook page: The Dragonfly Adventure is an organization dedicated to raise $5,000 for Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation. Our honoree, Ed Peck, is battling multiple myeloma. Ed is a former social studies teacher at Tamarac School. He touched the lives of students, and always told students to “Make it a Great Day”.
We understand that the Freihoffers Race is the same day. However, our race will still continue. Saturday had to be our race day choice due to availability and other logistics. We are confident that we will have a strong participation in the Great Day Race due to Ed's many supporters, and this highly important fundraising choice. I am truly amazed at some of Ed's many followers and former students who are traveling great distances to participate in the race and walk! If you are not able to make the race, please consider making a donation to this worthy cause.
Thank you - and we hope to see you at the race on Saturday June 4th!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friends!
The date of the "Make It A Great Day" Race and walk has been changed.
The new date is Saturday, June 4, 2011. It will start at the Tamarac campus on Rte 2 in Brunswick, NY.
Remember that we are running and walking for a highly worthy charity, the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation. Contributions will help those in our region who need assistance in their battle against cancer.
Hope to see you there!
The date of the "Make It A Great Day" Race and walk has been changed.
The new date is Saturday, June 4, 2011. It will start at the Tamarac campus on Rte 2 in Brunswick, NY.
Remember that we are running and walking for a highly worthy charity, the Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation. Contributions will help those in our region who need assistance in their battle against cancer.
Hope to see you there!
Friday, March 25, 2011
The centenary of the famed Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in NYC.
Dear diary,
Confirmed!
At my Friday, March 11 appointment, my stem cell oncologist agreed with my chemo oncologist that my blood and bone marrow cancer is in REMISSION.
This is doubly reassuring, not only because a second doctor has pronounced that treasured diagnosis, but in light of the recent pains I have been experiencing in my torso that brought back reminders of those excruciating weeks last spring. It appears that there is no cause for alarm. Blood readings are near normal, and x-rays found no problems. I am relieved.
But not totally. A horrendous cold has plagued me for two weeks, sapping my energy and making each task a huge chore. Fortunately, the symptoms have been limited to congestion and headaches. No sore throats or high temperatures. I suppose that this can be interpreted as a good sign. My compromised immune system has at least been able to limit the effects of this latest affliction. No illness is so incapacitating that it can't be ameliorated at least in part by a good book!
Even with this cold, my life is now assuming a tempo close to normal. In recent weeks I have enjoyed breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with many different friends. I am now traveling with my bride frequently to run errands or shop or see children and grandchildren. My hair is almost back to normal, although it seems to be of a slightly different texture and style than before. I began to discard my baseball hats in early February. And I can begin now to look forward to a warm spring (whenever it chooses to get here), and to an enjoyable summer, complete with visits to the Adirondacks. We have a trip to California planned for the first two weeks of May, and relatives and friends are scheduled to visit in September. Meanwhile, I can putter around on my lawn or in my garage, although the days of toting patio block and splitting firewood are over for good. Light work only!
I am reminded of the capriciousness of life. All this progress and all these plans could easily be wisked away. I can't take them for granted. The squandering of time is as much a sin as the wasting of any natural resource. And time is what life is made of.
Dear diary,
Confirmed!
At my Friday, March 11 appointment, my stem cell oncologist agreed with my chemo oncologist that my blood and bone marrow cancer is in REMISSION.
This is doubly reassuring, not only because a second doctor has pronounced that treasured diagnosis, but in light of the recent pains I have been experiencing in my torso that brought back reminders of those excruciating weeks last spring. It appears that there is no cause for alarm. Blood readings are near normal, and x-rays found no problems. I am relieved.
But not totally. A horrendous cold has plagued me for two weeks, sapping my energy and making each task a huge chore. Fortunately, the symptoms have been limited to congestion and headaches. No sore throats or high temperatures. I suppose that this can be interpreted as a good sign. My compromised immune system has at least been able to limit the effects of this latest affliction. No illness is so incapacitating that it can't be ameliorated at least in part by a good book!
Even with this cold, my life is now assuming a tempo close to normal. In recent weeks I have enjoyed breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with many different friends. I am now traveling with my bride frequently to run errands or shop or see children and grandchildren. My hair is almost back to normal, although it seems to be of a slightly different texture and style than before. I began to discard my baseball hats in early February. And I can begin now to look forward to a warm spring (whenever it chooses to get here), and to an enjoyable summer, complete with visits to the Adirondacks. We have a trip to California planned for the first two weeks of May, and relatives and friends are scheduled to visit in September. Meanwhile, I can putter around on my lawn or in my garage, although the days of toting patio block and splitting firewood are over for good. Light work only!
I am reminded of the capriciousness of life. All this progress and all these plans could easily be wisked away. I can't take them for granted. The squandering of time is as much a sin as the wasting of any natural resource. And time is what life is made of.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Dear Diary,
Well, so much for a relapse. My incredible luck continues to hold out.
My Friday, March 4 appointment with my oncologist went very well. Once again, blood test readings were excellent. My physician seemed little concerned with the discomfort in my ribs that I've been experiencing over the past two weeks or so. Just to be sure, he sent me next door for a battery of x-rays. No report at all from there. I must conclude that no news is good news. I guess my pains are not cancer-related.
I can breathe a sigh of relief.
From where did the pains originate? It's anyone's guess. Perhaps it's "old age." Maybe I got a bit too frisky trying to scrape snow (I can't really shovel) from our walkways (the Albany area has measured 85 inches of the white stuff so far this season compared to the average 48 inches we normally "enjoy" by this time). It's possible I "slept" wrong somehow. There are a hundred different answers, and we will probably never know. But for now I can rest assured.
During this time, I experienced a series of amazing coincidences. Over two consecutive days, two separate people mentioned to me how they were impressed and inspired by Lance Armstrong's 2000 book "It's Not About the Bike" (thanks Sandy and Carolyn!). That alone is striking. On the third consecutive day I was, along with my bride, browsing the free-for-the-taking book shelves of a local coffee house. You guessed it. There was Armstrong's book. I realized that somebody upstairs was trying to tell me something. The tome now rests next to my easy chair, at the top of my "to-read" stack. What's more, ironically, my wife also purchased a new tea kettle the other day, only to learn when she read the label upon its arrival at home that the proceeds benefit Lance Armstrong's "Live Strong" organization. There must be something to these coincidences!
I continue to be impressed with the efforts of the the Dragonfly Adventure team to sponsor a half-marathon and walk for cancer, the "Make It A Great Day" Race, near Troy, NY on Sunday, June 5, 2011 (thanks for your words of encouragement Heidi!). Contributions continue to pour in for this extremely worthy charity event, including a promised one all the way from Texas! There is even buzz at my oncologist's office about it. I wish to thank the New York Mets for their contribution of four "raffle-able" tickets. Perhaps it's their way of celebrating my fiftieth anniversary of fandom. It has struck me that maybe other professional teams in New York and Massachusetts not scorched by the Madoff ripoff could also kick in. All of them have tons of fans in the Capital District, and, it seems, plenty of cash.
I am also impressed by the efforts of my cousin Susan Wyckoff Mehrwein and her husband James, who are working (and walking) in Oregon with the Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in the battle against cancer. The dramatic photo below of the two of them crossing the finish line is symbolic of my own feelings in this ongoing struggle. Check out their organization's website!
To all our relatives and friends who have expressed concern or experienced consternation over my latest mini-episode, I thank you. The heart is warmed even in this coldest of winters.
Well, so much for a relapse. My incredible luck continues to hold out.
My Friday, March 4 appointment with my oncologist went very well. Once again, blood test readings were excellent. My physician seemed little concerned with the discomfort in my ribs that I've been experiencing over the past two weeks or so. Just to be sure, he sent me next door for a battery of x-rays. No report at all from there. I must conclude that no news is good news. I guess my pains are not cancer-related.
I can breathe a sigh of relief.
From where did the pains originate? It's anyone's guess. Perhaps it's "old age." Maybe I got a bit too frisky trying to scrape snow (I can't really shovel) from our walkways (the Albany area has measured 85 inches of the white stuff so far this season compared to the average 48 inches we normally "enjoy" by this time). It's possible I "slept" wrong somehow. There are a hundred different answers, and we will probably never know. But for now I can rest assured.
During this time, I experienced a series of amazing coincidences. Over two consecutive days, two separate people mentioned to me how they were impressed and inspired by Lance Armstrong's 2000 book "It's Not About the Bike" (thanks Sandy and Carolyn!). That alone is striking. On the third consecutive day I was, along with my bride, browsing the free-for-the-taking book shelves of a local coffee house. You guessed it. There was Armstrong's book. I realized that somebody upstairs was trying to tell me something. The tome now rests next to my easy chair, at the top of my "to-read" stack. What's more, ironically, my wife also purchased a new tea kettle the other day, only to learn when she read the label upon its arrival at home that the proceeds benefit Lance Armstrong's "Live Strong" organization. There must be something to these coincidences!
I continue to be impressed with the efforts of the the Dragonfly Adventure team to sponsor a half-marathon and walk for cancer, the "Make It A Great Day" Race, near Troy, NY on Sunday, June 5, 2011 (thanks for your words of encouragement Heidi!). Contributions continue to pour in for this extremely worthy charity event, including a promised one all the way from Texas! There is even buzz at my oncologist's office about it. I wish to thank the New York Mets for their contribution of four "raffle-able" tickets. Perhaps it's their way of celebrating my fiftieth anniversary of fandom. It has struck me that maybe other professional teams in New York and Massachusetts not scorched by the Madoff ripoff could also kick in. All of them have tons of fans in the Capital District, and, it seems, plenty of cash.
I am also impressed by the efforts of my cousin Susan Wyckoff Mehrwein and her husband James, who are working (and walking) in Oregon with the Team in Training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in the battle against cancer. The dramatic photo below of the two of them crossing the finish line is symbolic of my own feelings in this ongoing struggle. Check out their organization's website!
To all our relatives and friends who have expressed concern or experienced consternation over my latest mini-episode, I thank you. The heart is warmed even in this coldest of winters.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Fundraising on both coasts!
West Coast Marathon Event for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
We are very appreciative that Ed's cousin Sue Wyckoff Mehrwein and her husband Jim have included Edward on their Team in Training homepage for an upcoming half marathon in Eugene, Oregon. Check out Ed's picture and story on the Team in Training website;
http://pages.teamintraining.org/oswim/eugene11/teammehrwein
A message from Jim and Sue;
"Walking to Save Lives - Welcome to Mehrwein's Team In Training home page.
We are training to walk the Eugene Half Marathon as members of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. We are completing this event in honor of all our personal friends and family members who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure! Please make a donation to support Team Mehrwein's participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. We hope you will visit our web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see our progress. Thanks for your support! Jim & Sue Mehrwein"
Ironically, we are making plans to visit Ed's beloved Uncle Don (Sue's father) in May near San Francisco, and we are meeting up with Jim and Sue at a family reunion. We are very honored that they have included Ed on their team, and commend them for their major fundraising campaign and amazing running feats!
Remember to check Ed's blog for upcoming information on the "Go Out and Make it a Great Day!" Race on June 5th on the East Coast!
We are very appreciative that Ed's cousin Sue Wyckoff Mehrwein and her husband Jim have included Edward on their Team in Training homepage for an upcoming half marathon in Eugene, Oregon. Check out Ed's picture and story on the Team in Training website;
http://pages.teamintraining.org/oswim/eugene11/teammehrwein
A message from Jim and Sue;
"Walking to Save Lives - Welcome to Mehrwein's Team In Training home page.
We are training to walk the Eugene Half Marathon as members of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. We are completing this event in honor of all our personal friends and family members who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure! Please make a donation to support Team Mehrwein's participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. We hope you will visit our web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see our progress. Thanks for your support! Jim & Sue Mehrwein"
Ironically, we are making plans to visit Ed's beloved Uncle Don (Sue's father) in May near San Francisco, and we are meeting up with Jim and Sue at a family reunion. We are very honored that they have included Ed on their team, and commend them for their major fundraising campaign and amazing running feats!
Remember to check Ed's blog for upcoming information on the "Go Out and Make it a Great Day!" Race on June 5th on the East Coast!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Dear diary:
A setback?
I have begun over the past week to experience some rib pain in my right side once again.
It's not excruciating, like it was last March, April, and May. It has not affected my activities, or my sleep. It's not even worth taking pain killers for it.
But inevitably, concerns begin to arise. Am I suffering a setback in my recovery from multiple myeloma? Are my bone lesions and blood and marrow cancer returning? Or have I just been too active, trying to get chores done? Have I unconsciously slept in an uncomfortable position, or simply moved wrong? One sometimes hears people with bad backs say this. Could it be true in my case as well?
All the emotions and worries of last spring and summer begin to come back to me. I toughed it out well then, at least I think I did. Will I have to do that a second time? How often can one be beaten down and still come back? Do I have enough fuel left in my gas tank to make this trip again, if needed?
The good news is that I should not have to wait long to find out. It so happens that I have an oncologist consultation already scheduled for this coming Friday, plus an IV infusion of meds that includes Aredia, the bone-building compound. I won't have to wait long to get answers to my questions and be treated for problems. What's more, I have a second appointment with my stem cell oncologist the following Wednesday, where I'll have the opportunity for the same.
Good timing.
And there's other favorable news. Today is the last day of February. With March always comes hope for better weather and a brighter day. Even if a bad storm happens to pass through, its effects are quickly dissipated.
With that realization, my spirits are already lifted.
A setback?
I have begun over the past week to experience some rib pain in my right side once again.
It's not excruciating, like it was last March, April, and May. It has not affected my activities, or my sleep. It's not even worth taking pain killers for it.
But inevitably, concerns begin to arise. Am I suffering a setback in my recovery from multiple myeloma? Are my bone lesions and blood and marrow cancer returning? Or have I just been too active, trying to get chores done? Have I unconsciously slept in an uncomfortable position, or simply moved wrong? One sometimes hears people with bad backs say this. Could it be true in my case as well?
All the emotions and worries of last spring and summer begin to come back to me. I toughed it out well then, at least I think I did. Will I have to do that a second time? How often can one be beaten down and still come back? Do I have enough fuel left in my gas tank to make this trip again, if needed?
The good news is that I should not have to wait long to find out. It so happens that I have an oncologist consultation already scheduled for this coming Friday, plus an IV infusion of meds that includes Aredia, the bone-building compound. I won't have to wait long to get answers to my questions and be treated for problems. What's more, I have a second appointment with my stem cell oncologist the following Wednesday, where I'll have the opportunity for the same.
Good timing.
And there's other favorable news. Today is the last day of February. With March always comes hope for better weather and a brighter day. Even if a bad storm happens to pass through, its effects are quickly dissipated.
With that realization, my spirits are already lifted.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Being Ed's caretaker is the easiest job in the world. Oddly enough my alter-ego "Nurse Cratchett" has been totally unnecessary. Ed consistently remains cheerful, upbeat, positive, and very thankful for everything he has. Hence the amazing recovery. I am totally convinced that Ed's recovery is due to his amazing spirit, and the good vibes from all his family and friends.
I also need to reiterate what Ed has expressed since the onset of his diagnosis. Thank you just doesn't seem to do it! There isn't a day that goes by that we don't think about and appreciate the many acts of kindness. Every call, card, gift, meal, Facebook message, and words of encouragement are appreciated. Not to mention holiday excursion gifts and a huge team of Tamarac rakers!
How can one repay such kindness? Simply by paying it forward. Our first way to accomplish this is by working hard to support Heidi Bentley Barcomb's Dragonfly Experience half-marathon and walk on June 5th, in honor of Ed for the benefit of NYOH Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation funds.
This was the charity that Ed choose because it helps strapped Capital District cancer patients with much needed funds for their treatment. We witnessed a lot of needy patients during Ed's treatment and stem cell transplant ordeal, and this organization is vital. A start to pay it forward.
We already know there is an army of supporters that will participate in this "Go Out and Make It a Great Day Race." Anyone who would like to help out can keep track of the developments on this blog, or on Heidi's websites at: heidibarcomb@thedragonflyadventure.com and the Facebook group "The Dragonfly Adventure."
NYOH Foundation http://www.newyorkoncology.com/
Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation created in March 2000 to help provide funds for daily living and support services for Capital District Region residents undergoing cancer treatment.
Finally, I wanted to share the the lovely article that was published in the Frost Valley YMCA Camp Fall newsletter concerning our experience with the "Chillin In The Catskills" Cancer Retreat Conference held last October: (Click on page 4)
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1pyld/FrostValleyLifeFall2/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F249278%2FFrost-Valley-Life--Fall-2010
"A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
We are truly blessed to have your friendship and support!
I also need to reiterate what Ed has expressed since the onset of his diagnosis. Thank you just doesn't seem to do it! There isn't a day that goes by that we don't think about and appreciate the many acts of kindness. Every call, card, gift, meal, Facebook message, and words of encouragement are appreciated. Not to mention holiday excursion gifts and a huge team of Tamarac rakers!
How can one repay such kindness? Simply by paying it forward. Our first way to accomplish this is by working hard to support Heidi Bentley Barcomb's Dragonfly Experience half-marathon and walk on June 5th, in honor of Ed for the benefit of NYOH Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation funds.
This was the charity that Ed choose because it helps strapped Capital District cancer patients with much needed funds for their treatment. We witnessed a lot of needy patients during Ed's treatment and stem cell transplant ordeal, and this organization is vital. A start to pay it forward.
We already know there is an army of supporters that will participate in this "Go Out and Make It a Great Day Race." Anyone who would like to help out can keep track of the developments on this blog, or on Heidi's websites at: heidibarcomb@thedragonflyadventure.com and the Facebook group "The Dragonfly Adventure."
NYOH Foundation http://www.newyorkoncology.com/
Capital District Cancer Resource Foundation is a not-for-profit foundation created in March 2000 to help provide funds for daily living and support services for Capital District Region residents undergoing cancer treatment.
Finally, I wanted to share the the lovely article that was published in the Frost Valley YMCA Camp Fall newsletter concerning our experience with the "Chillin In The Catskills" Cancer Retreat Conference held last October: (Click on page 4)
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1pyld/FrostValleyLifeFall2/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yudu.com%2Fitem%2Fdetails%2F249278%2FFrost-Valley-Life--Fall-2010
"A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
We are truly blessed to have your friendship and support!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
It's a bitterly cold and blustery day here in Rexford, NY. Perfect for staying indoors, and taking stock of where I am and how I got here.
Job 1 is to make sure that I lose no ground. I've come so far. I must resolve to pay close attention to all my doctors, heed their views, and adhere to their recommendations. Stay on top of my medication schedule and my nutrition, and try to listen to what my body is telling me. Begin to crank up my exercise routine, and build and restore my body. Realize that my days as an "Olympic athlete" are over (snicker-snicker), and move now at a more reasonable and productive pace. Do all that will prevent retreat.
Just as important: thank those who helped and supported me. The army that backed me up would have routed Genghis Khan. It starts with my wife, daughter, and sister, and continues with my brothers, step-mom, in-laws, step-children, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and all my friends. It has been said that the gift of healing is fostered by a supportive social network. After thinking of all those mentioned above, I realize now that I couldn't help but achieve remission.
Part of that army was the huge team of friends who contributed as well. The number of phone calls, letters, visits, lunches and dinners out, e-mails, Facebook greetings, and well-wishes has been uncountable. So many sent greeting cards, gift cards, books, magazines and magazine subscriptions, food, desserts, favors, and blessings my way that I began to feel like a pasha on the Turkish throne! From Peter, who hand-knitted a prayer shawl (it obviously worked!), to Linda, Bill, Barb, and Frank (who gave till it must have hurt), to the wonderful forty friends who showed up to rake my lawn (and the countless others who would like to have been able to come but couldn't), to those who contributed to and arranged for a wonderful new picnic table for under my tree, knowing this would permit me to relax and recover outdoors.
Some have arranged for us incredible vacations, real time to heal and relax. To Ann, Sandy, Tom, and Judy we owe a huge "thank you" for two wonderful weeks at a stunning beach front condo in Naples, Florida (I highly doubt there is a more beautiful spot in the world). How does one repay such generosity for THAT? Also in Florida, Scott and Marsha, my in-laws, were incredibly generous with their home and their culinary talents (they should have their own TV show). Even more heroes helped us reach Florida. Aaron and Kristie made their own bed ours, a huge sacrifice. It was a great time to visit with John and Jan, treasured brother and sister-in-law. Hearts were lifted.
To Sue, we owe much for healing time-outs on Cape Cod (a great place to clear one's head and heal the bod. She has the key to a balanced life!). And a wonderful long weekend at Salem, Massachusetts, filled with tales, laughs, beverages, food, and road trips was hosted by Richard and Rich. Thanks to all!
The list goes on and on. They are all unthankable, due to their sheer numbers, and for the monumental contributions they made to my recovery. What words could possibly be adequate?
Finally, I must mention the incredibly competent medical personnel who treated me. Please know that at no time did I ever doubt that you would succeed, and at no time did I ever question your course of action. You were all that convincing, that professional, and that powerful. And it's obvious that you deserved my trust. I hope it showed. You made it an incredible ride.
You all got me to where I am today. Thank you!
Job 1 is to make sure that I lose no ground. I've come so far. I must resolve to pay close attention to all my doctors, heed their views, and adhere to their recommendations. Stay on top of my medication schedule and my nutrition, and try to listen to what my body is telling me. Begin to crank up my exercise routine, and build and restore my body. Realize that my days as an "Olympic athlete" are over (snicker-snicker), and move now at a more reasonable and productive pace. Do all that will prevent retreat.
Just as important: thank those who helped and supported me. The army that backed me up would have routed Genghis Khan. It starts with my wife, daughter, and sister, and continues with my brothers, step-mom, in-laws, step-children, cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives, and all my friends. It has been said that the gift of healing is fostered by a supportive social network. After thinking of all those mentioned above, I realize now that I couldn't help but achieve remission.
Part of that army was the huge team of friends who contributed as well. The number of phone calls, letters, visits, lunches and dinners out, e-mails, Facebook greetings, and well-wishes has been uncountable. So many sent greeting cards, gift cards, books, magazines and magazine subscriptions, food, desserts, favors, and blessings my way that I began to feel like a pasha on the Turkish throne! From Peter, who hand-knitted a prayer shawl (it obviously worked!), to Linda, Bill, Barb, and Frank (who gave till it must have hurt), to the wonderful forty friends who showed up to rake my lawn (and the countless others who would like to have been able to come but couldn't), to those who contributed to and arranged for a wonderful new picnic table for under my tree, knowing this would permit me to relax and recover outdoors.
Some have arranged for us incredible vacations, real time to heal and relax. To Ann, Sandy, Tom, and Judy we owe a huge "thank you" for two wonderful weeks at a stunning beach front condo in Naples, Florida (I highly doubt there is a more beautiful spot in the world). How does one repay such generosity for THAT? Also in Florida, Scott and Marsha, my in-laws, were incredibly generous with their home and their culinary talents (they should have their own TV show). Even more heroes helped us reach Florida. Aaron and Kristie made their own bed ours, a huge sacrifice. It was a great time to visit with John and Jan, treasured brother and sister-in-law. Hearts were lifted.
To Sue, we owe much for healing time-outs on Cape Cod (a great place to clear one's head and heal the bod. She has the key to a balanced life!). And a wonderful long weekend at Salem, Massachusetts, filled with tales, laughs, beverages, food, and road trips was hosted by Richard and Rich. Thanks to all!
The list goes on and on. They are all unthankable, due to their sheer numbers, and for the monumental contributions they made to my recovery. What words could possibly be adequate?
Finally, I must mention the incredibly competent medical personnel who treated me. Please know that at no time did I ever doubt that you would succeed, and at no time did I ever question your course of action. You were all that convincing, that professional, and that powerful. And it's obvious that you deserved my trust. I hope it showed. You made it an incredible ride.
You all got me to where I am today. Thank you!
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Remission!
I have arrived! Today's oncology appointment represented the culmination of all that I have sought and achieved for the last ten months. The "R" word! Season over! The Stanley Cup of the Myeloma League. The World Championship ring at the dramatic conclusion of the Oncology Playoffs. Yogi Berra jumping into the arms of Don Larsen. Champaigne flowing like waterfalls in the Cancer Clubhouse.
Blood tests this morning show no sign of the myeloma in my system, and all organs functioning at optimum level. No question it's a major milestone. Remission Control announces remission accomplished!
Oddly I feel rather neutral about it all. I expected the news, and rather judged myself to be in remission a long time ago, despite my lack of a medical degree. I didn't even brag about it at first when I arrived home today. Why? Well, while I don't feel fabulous, I have felt better over these recent months than I have in a decade. Furthermore, I've always known that I have a bit of an iron constitution. In addition, I've all along had great confidence in the team that was working behind me, from my chemo oncologist and his staff to my stem cell oncologist and his team as well. I've had access to the best and the latest in treatment. I could feel the improvement while the weeks sped past (or should I more accurately say, crawled past). And I had extraordinary help and support from family and friends. What cancer could possibly outlast all that?
So the doctor's announcement truly did not strike me as a big deal.
But there are some things I must always keep in mind. The right to fly the latest championship flag over Peck Stadium lasts only as long as the off-season. My health will need to be monitored, probably for the rest of my life. Cancer always gets the opportunity to try for a comeback come the next campaign, and make a stab at tarnishing my trophy. What's more, I continue to consume huge amounts of medication, and I must admit a hint of trepidation here, as my liver and kidneys face a constant barrage and the meds cruise through my body searching for a disease to attack. Finally, the damage to my bones will probably always be there. The days of carting around sheetrock or tossing shovelful after shovelful of wet snow over my shoulder are gone forever. I will need to take the steps and invest in the machinery to make myself independent in alternative ways.
I say it's a small price to pay.
So let's cheer. I've won the Vince Lombardi Trophy of the Oncological League. And on Super Bowl weekend.
I have arrived! Today's oncology appointment represented the culmination of all that I have sought and achieved for the last ten months. The "R" word! Season over! The Stanley Cup of the Myeloma League. The World Championship ring at the dramatic conclusion of the Oncology Playoffs. Yogi Berra jumping into the arms of Don Larsen. Champaigne flowing like waterfalls in the Cancer Clubhouse.
Blood tests this morning show no sign of the myeloma in my system, and all organs functioning at optimum level. No question it's a major milestone. Remission Control announces remission accomplished!
Oddly I feel rather neutral about it all. I expected the news, and rather judged myself to be in remission a long time ago, despite my lack of a medical degree. I didn't even brag about it at first when I arrived home today. Why? Well, while I don't feel fabulous, I have felt better over these recent months than I have in a decade. Furthermore, I've always known that I have a bit of an iron constitution. In addition, I've all along had great confidence in the team that was working behind me, from my chemo oncologist and his staff to my stem cell oncologist and his team as well. I've had access to the best and the latest in treatment. I could feel the improvement while the weeks sped past (or should I more accurately say, crawled past). And I had extraordinary help and support from family and friends. What cancer could possibly outlast all that?
So the doctor's announcement truly did not strike me as a big deal.
But there are some things I must always keep in mind. The right to fly the latest championship flag over Peck Stadium lasts only as long as the off-season. My health will need to be monitored, probably for the rest of my life. Cancer always gets the opportunity to try for a comeback come the next campaign, and make a stab at tarnishing my trophy. What's more, I continue to consume huge amounts of medication, and I must admit a hint of trepidation here, as my liver and kidneys face a constant barrage and the meds cruise through my body searching for a disease to attack. Finally, the damage to my bones will probably always be there. The days of carting around sheetrock or tossing shovelful after shovelful of wet snow over my shoulder are gone forever. I will need to take the steps and invest in the machinery to make myself independent in alternative ways.
I say it's a small price to pay.
So let's cheer. I've won the Vince Lombardi Trophy of the Oncological League. And on Super Bowl weekend.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
The fiftieth anniversary of the Inauguration of John F. Kennedy
Although our frozen family members and friends in upstate New York might vehemently disagree, there are serious disadvantages to vacationing for two weeks in January in Naples, Florida.
To wit:
1. The loud, crashing surf makes it impossible to think, or to hear one's cell phone conversations.
2. One must frequently dodge shells, seaweed and flotsam while strolling along the beach.
3. All the bikinis are worn by 90-year-olds.
4. The beautiful sunsets can distract one from dinner.
5. Gulls and plovers refuse to step aside when humans walk along the shore. The impudence!
6. Family and friends no longer feel sorry for their cancer-striken, vacationing brethren.
7. Sunlight reflecting off the glassy ocean can cause a painful, temporary blindness.
8. It rarely seems to rain.
9. Your auto is no longer rinsed by slush and sleet.
10. The wafting odor of suntan lotion can distract one from his/her novel.
Family and friends: please take heart.
P.S. For those helping "The Dragonfly Adventure" coalition with the planning of the Sunday June 5, 2011 "Make It A Great Day Race":
The next organizational meeting is scheduled for the Brunswick Barbeque, Saturday, January 22, 2011, at 5 PM.
There will be a follow-up meeting sometime during the first week of February.
Thanks to everyone!
Although our frozen family members and friends in upstate New York might vehemently disagree, there are serious disadvantages to vacationing for two weeks in January in Naples, Florida.
To wit:
1. The loud, crashing surf makes it impossible to think, or to hear one's cell phone conversations.
2. One must frequently dodge shells, seaweed and flotsam while strolling along the beach.
3. All the bikinis are worn by 90-year-olds.
4. The beautiful sunsets can distract one from dinner.
5. Gulls and plovers refuse to step aside when humans walk along the shore. The impudence!
6. Family and friends no longer feel sorry for their cancer-striken, vacationing brethren.
7. Sunlight reflecting off the glassy ocean can cause a painful, temporary blindness.
8. It rarely seems to rain.
9. Your auto is no longer rinsed by slush and sleet.
10. The wafting odor of suntan lotion can distract one from his/her novel.
Family and friends: please take heart.
P.S. For those helping "The Dragonfly Adventure" coalition with the planning of the Sunday June 5, 2011 "Make It A Great Day Race":
The next organizational meeting is scheduled for the Brunswick Barbeque, Saturday, January 22, 2011, at 5 PM.
There will be a follow-up meeting sometime during the first week of February.
Thanks to everyone!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Dear diary,
The arrival of the new year has changed nothing. People we know continue their enormous generosity in their efforts to assist my recovery.
Ann and Sandy and Tom and Judy have offered their time-share condo in Naples, Florida for two weeks, starting this coming weekend.
The benefits would be obvious. Not only would the warm and sunny weather be therapeutic, but the long walks on the beach and along the streets of that famous resort town would really help to speed my recovery. I believe I'd get an enormous boost.
So we will be off! Plans are being made to care for the cats and the house, the car will be serviced, and packing has commenced. Don't forget the Bermuda shorts, T-shirts, and sandals, items those of us in upstate New York don't normally connect with the month of January. I'll be taking my computer, and my gigantic new biography of Washington, a Christmas gift from my bride, a hefty tome that will no doubt suck five miles per gallon off the family auto's usual rate of fuel consumption. Books about George are always among my favorite. Yes, I'm sure the man had his foibles, but they were fewer than other great men, and he worked hardest of all to mitigate them. An excellent book on Lincoln will also make the trip, a fine gift from my brother-in-law and his fiance. Books on Abe are my other passion, since the man came so incredibly far, and was such a monumental prosodist. Thus, my beach time will be put to good use.
The time in Naples will be spent with my mother-in-law, and with her long-time friend. Both are wonderful companions, and will help ensure that the vacation days will be pleasantly spent. In the course of our drive south, we will visit my treasured brother and his equally treasured wife in North Carolina. We will also visit my bride's family in northern Florida before proceding to Naples.
The sun and surf will allow me to continue my newly-begun exercise regimen. Now that my energy level has partially recovered and my neuropathy and gout-like attacks have all eased, I have commenced a program at Planet Fitness, and will continue that on the beaches of South Florida.
I'm taking charge of my recovery.
The arrival of the new year has changed nothing. People we know continue their enormous generosity in their efforts to assist my recovery.
Ann and Sandy and Tom and Judy have offered their time-share condo in Naples, Florida for two weeks, starting this coming weekend.
The benefits would be obvious. Not only would the warm and sunny weather be therapeutic, but the long walks on the beach and along the streets of that famous resort town would really help to speed my recovery. I believe I'd get an enormous boost.
So we will be off! Plans are being made to care for the cats and the house, the car will be serviced, and packing has commenced. Don't forget the Bermuda shorts, T-shirts, and sandals, items those of us in upstate New York don't normally connect with the month of January. I'll be taking my computer, and my gigantic new biography of Washington, a Christmas gift from my bride, a hefty tome that will no doubt suck five miles per gallon off the family auto's usual rate of fuel consumption. Books about George are always among my favorite. Yes, I'm sure the man had his foibles, but they were fewer than other great men, and he worked hardest of all to mitigate them. An excellent book on Lincoln will also make the trip, a fine gift from my brother-in-law and his fiance. Books on Abe are my other passion, since the man came so incredibly far, and was such a monumental prosodist. Thus, my beach time will be put to good use.
The time in Naples will be spent with my mother-in-law, and with her long-time friend. Both are wonderful companions, and will help ensure that the vacation days will be pleasantly spent. In the course of our drive south, we will visit my treasured brother and his equally treasured wife in North Carolina. We will also visit my bride's family in northern Florida before proceding to Naples.
The sun and surf will allow me to continue my newly-begun exercise regimen. Now that my energy level has partially recovered and my neuropathy and gout-like attacks have all eased, I have commenced a program at Planet Fitness, and will continue that on the beaches of South Florida.
I'm taking charge of my recovery.
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