Update

My dad had to go back to Boston, via ambulance, again yesterday as he was coughing up blood and no feeling well at all…they are scheduled to do a bronchoscopy this morning and get some better images so they can determine what the problem is and what they can do to help things along.  I spoke with him yesterday evening and he still sounds remarkably upbeat; I think he was just incredibly happy to have made it through all the festivities of the wedding weekend without any affects of the procedure, and though this isn’t what he wanted to be doing, at least it didn’t happen in Newport and he was able to really enjoy himself the entire time.

We’re very busy here at work preparing to open our new store in Falmouth next Monday and I am very excited to get to the oncologist this afternoon and learn about the CT Scan results.  Treatment is tomorrow morning at 9am (which I’m dreading) and I’ll have plenty to do to keep me busy for the remainder of the week.  I have some friends from BC coming down this weekend (Bugbee, Katie, Dave, Bridget, and Neil) and I’m really looking forward to having a good time with them.

So, per usual, things are a little less than ideal, but overall we’re very pleased with how things are going and hopeful that things will improve with my dad and we can get him home by the middle of the week.  I remain upbeat about my condition and am already looking forward to the things I may be able to do following my treatments; ways I could give back to the community and help support other individuals who will share a common diagnosis and struggle with me.  This disease, and my dad’s, have opened my eyes to the thousands of people who struggle every day to get through life, and I have to believe that there are things I can do in the future to help, ways to give back, and a mechanism for me to thank the numerous caregivers who have done so much to help and comfort me throughout my diagnosis and treatment process.  What can I do?  I don’t really know yet, but I’m working on it and I look forward to making something positive out of this challenge and am confident I can.

I’ll post something quick this evening about the results of the scan and I truly appreciate all of your heartfelt support and thoughts…I continue to be wowed at how many people come here, read this stuff about my life, and actually enjoy it – thank you all!  Gary