Wednesday, July 22nd: Round 3

Right now I'm preparing for the big day Thursday: Round 3 of the treatments, and (most likely) 1/2 way through chemotherapy. The bigger moment will be tomorrow's 8:10 a.m. pre-chemo appointment where I get the results of Monday's PETscan, indicating whether the cancer has shrunk, stabilized, or spread. As I mentioned before, the orthopedic oncologist said promising things about the tumor site and the new bone growth where the tumor had honeycombed my pelvis - let's hope the lymph nodes and kidney activity has followed suit. If it has, it's a very promising few months ahead, with a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. If it has spread or not shrunk, then we'll work with the folks at Rocky Mtn Cancer Center to figure out another plan of attack. In reference from my previous "D-Day" posting, I'm including for your reading (and listening) pleasure part of Winston Churchill's famous 1940 speech to British Parliament which captures the emotion of this whole "fight for my life" experience:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/av/churchill_on_beaches.ram

".....We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and the oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. "

And don't you worry, the fight is on up here in the Mile High City....surrender is not an option.

Carpe Diem.

-Bill