After receiving a call on Wednesday confirming our appointment in Houston, we scrambled to make the logistical arrangements.
With just 7 days to line everything up, we were scrambling to find airfare that didn’t cost us over $1,000!! As he has in the past a very dear friend stepped up with a few frequent flyer certificates. The are some people that can not be thanked enough, he is one!

So now I find my mental state to be somewhat the same as four years ago (see this post). I really hope everything we went through to get this appointment pays off. The doctor we are seeing is the Chair of the Genitourinary department at MD Anderson. He is an extremely accomplished oncologist. We are hoping and praying that he will have insight into a treatment or a trial that fits my case better than others we know about. I write this with extreme caution, as I don’t want to get my hopes to high.

In addition, Mary and I ever so slightly disagree on parts of the trip. I personally am ready to try just about anything beyond phase three, placebo controlled trials, She wants to proceed perhaps a little more cautiously. She is concerned about compromising my current quality of life. I’m tired of caution and feel our approach over the last four years have been pretty conservative. As always, we’ll take it all in, discuss and come to a decision that we both believe is best.

I know I have said this repeatedly, but at times I can’t believe how much I have changed. When I read the post I linked to above, I also read all the posts from April 2005. In some ways the words sound like someone else wrote them. It seems a lifetime ago. So much has changed, yet one crucial thing remains, I still have advanced, non-curable prostate cancer.

It’s spring in Kansas City and I love it. I didn’t have to look too far over the past two days to appreciate this; the red bud trees are blooming, spring flowers are everywhere and the sound of lawn mowers filled the air. I look forward to rose blooms, moon flowers, fresh garden vegetables and cool spring nights sleeping with the windows ajar. The sound of trains throughout the night and birds in the morning. For me, it’s THE time of year!
It’s also Holy Week. With that comes so many reminders of the sacrifices that were made for each and every one of us. I plan to make time this week to further reflect on what this means to me and how my faith had gotten me though the last four years.

We're feeling pretty ecstatic after today's treatment.

PSA: 29.58  down from 38.99 or approximately 24%

Wooo Hooo!

With the risk of being repetitive, God reminded me today (once again), that it’s not all about me.

Friends of ours have been going through their own health crisis. I ask that you pray for them as they will be undergoing a major surgery tomorrow. Pray for success through surgery and comfort through the recovery process.

As I write this, I have just finished reading an email that was sent out as an update to family and friends. I have tears in my eyes as I can sense the fear and uncertainty in her words. Please send them strength through a prayer, or a silent moment, or however you choose. I would like to ask the Lord to watch over them, and have as many people as possible send some positive thoughts their way!

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen.

I know, it’s been awhile. I was just prompted this morning with an email from a total stranger, making sure I was OK. I am.

Work has been incredibly busy. Meeting after meeting after meeting. There was a day last week when I left the house at 7:00am and did not get back to my desk until 2:15. After barely looking at email for 30 minutes, I had another meeting with my Director and then I was off to my golf league.

When ‘the other David’ and I signed up for this back in January it sounded like a great idea. Leave an hour early each Wednesday, play nine holes, meet some new people.

Finding the time is going to be killer, enjoying it will not. So leagues began this week and the weather was fully cooperative. 70 degrees but a bit breezy, however, no complaints! Running behind I had no time to warm up or go to the driving range. I won’t give you a shot by shot narrative but my first shot found the sand……as did my second! I found myself on the back fringe facing a tricky, downhill putt to save bogey. Not wanting to run it by the cup, I barley stroked it but it kept rolling and rolling and finally stopped…..IN THE HOLE! Some of you may not be too proud of a bogey, I’m about an 18 handicap and to start the first hole of the year in this fashion was just what I needed. In the end we accomplished our goal for the year, we had fun, I had a few more good holes (and a few bad) but it was a wonderful start.

To finish the day, I got home at 7:30, quickly ate dinner and attempted to finish compiling the catalog for our church auction. This is another reason I have been lax in keeping up the blog. I spent at least four hours a night for 7-8 days working on this masterpiece. Wednesday I was up past midnight, by Thursday I was wiped out. If you are interested, click on “Auction Booklet” on this page.

So if you are wondering…..this is what I’ve been up too!

Health wise, nothing to report – I was having some leg pain last week, nothing a few Advil did not take care of…otherwise looking forward to my next check up on the 24th.

On another note:
Mary’s Birthday is today. I got her a ‘shopping spree” and a few other items. A fabulous dinner is in store as well. After all, she puts up with me and she deserves it…..and more!

Spring Break is coming up and we are off to Florida in a few weeks. As you may infer, I need a break from work anyway! I really like what I am doing, the people, etc, just need a break and a re-charge!

The local news station was interviewing an 80-year-old lady because she had just gotten married — for the fourth time.

The interviewer asked her questions about her life, about what it felt like to be marrying again at 80, and then about her new husband's occupation. 'He's a funeral director,' she answered.

'Interesting,' the newsman thought. He then asked her if she wouldn't mind telling him a little about her first three husbands and what they did for a living.

She paused for a few moments, needing time to reflect on all those years. After a short time, a smile came to her face and she answered proudly, explaining that she'd first married a banker when she was in her early 20's, then a circus ringmaster when in her 40's, later on a preacher when in her 60's, and now in her 80's, a funeral director.

The interviewer looked at her, quite astonished, and asked why she had married four men with such diverse careers.

She smiled and explained, 'I married one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.'
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Some days you cry and some days you laugh…… thanks Dan, the timing of this was ideal.