At long last...

Okay, I am finally back and have plenty to write as it has been building up over this last stretch of time.

First and foremost, I'm feeling a lot better. The pneumonia is pretty much gone as of today - just a little residual crud in the chest. I'm sure that I may very well have more of that in my future, but hopefully it won't be as bad. The pneumonia combined with the bad blood counts really wasn't fun.

Has taken awhile to get to feeling good but I've finally made it. A lot has gone on since the last post. Kimmie and I met with a stem cell transplant specialist and learned a great deal about that process. Gave us a lot to think about as we contemplated the decision whether or not to do a stem cell transplant at this point. I have decided not to do the stem cell transplant.

In addition to going through the decision-making process on the stem cell transplant, my Mom visited from out of town and we had an awesome time. It was great to have the time together and also great to have all the great meals that she and Kimmie made! My Mom is an awesome cook. She and Kimmie also planted a whole mess of bulbs in the back yard with Courtnie's help. The whole visit was too short but was nothing but a good time. Kim's folks, unsurprisingly, allowed my Mom to stay at their house and I am very thankful to them for yet one more thing.

It is funny, for a good deal of the time that has lapsed since my last real posting I literally could not get on the computer to type. During that time I would usually be laying in bed feeling less than chipper but I frequently thought of this blog and what a blessing it is to me - to be able to write, to be on the receiving end of so many supportive wishes, and hopefully to occasionally write or share something that helps someone else.

I have to say that even if I could have typed during the down time I had - I don't know that I would have. This last period I had to do all I could do to remind myself how lucky I was - I'm surrounded my awesome family, I'm supported by awesome friends, I am in a better position than others who face MCL, my doctor is brilliant and proactive in making me as comfortable as I can be made to be... I could go on and on. I mention this because it can't be said too many times and I'll never be able to thank everyone enough. I also mention this because, as I said, I don't know that I would have written here because at the time I didn't have the words. That was a function of getting too focused on myself and forgetting how this cancer is affecting everyone I know. So I waited to write. There were over 1,100 'hits' on this blog from my last post till today, and I've received over 400 e-mails in that same period of time... for those that have been waiting for more and/or a reply - my apologies and you can now expect to see more on the blog and replies to e-mails.

That is especially true because tomorrow I am headed back to the hospital for Course A and should have some time on my hands. The chemotherapy is cumulative so I expect that this Course A will be possibly a smidgen harder than the first Course A, yet it will be infinitely easier than the Course B I last did. I'm typing this as I get my first drug - Rituxan - at Dr. Lee's office.

I just read this article and wanted to share it because so many of those that I know are leaders. But I believe the information is useful for anyone because I've always been of the opinion that no matter who you are, you are 'leading' someone - be it a child, friend who looks to you for advice, family member that has lost there way... etc. Anyhow, here's the article for anyone interested... http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/taylor/2008/05/memo_to_a_young_leader_what_ki.html

And this is a related quote that I think is good too... "People can only hear you when they are moving toward you, and they are not likely to when your words are pursuing them. Even the choicest words lose their power when they are used to overpower. Attitudes are the real figures of speech."
-- Edwin H. Friedman

I'm soon to be unhooked so I will conclude here and write more once I'm in the hospital. My thanks again to everyone for helping me through this.