August 2008

Hi all

As summer almost ends, Laura and I look forward to start of the routine of school. It is great having the house full of laughter, kids and the freedom to watch TV (mostly Olympics & Little League World Series) until all hours of the evening. I am sure I will miss all of this as soon as homework rears its relentless head but I do enjoy the fall with Halloween, Thanksgiving, junior high football and eventually ending with Christmas and the girl's performance in the Nutcracker.

Laura and I made our twice monthly visit to Stanford this past week. My lab counts are continuing to land right in the normal range. For this I continue to be grateful but I do have to contend with a new twist on this whole Bone Marrow transplant journey. I have been told I have chronic Graft versus Host disease (cGVHD).I essentially knew it by the time I went to see my local Hematologist and it was confirmed by my Stanford physicians too. At this point, it will not affect my survival and actually reflects a healthy graft. It is associated with some pretty annoying symptoms but nothing I can't learn to live with or treat with various therapies I am discussing with my docs. I am beginning to understand that this is my "new normal"...I am little slow I know: Recently, I reflected back on a passage from Armsttrong's frist book where he realized his identity was that of a cancer surviver now and his past life was becoming just that, the past. Henry Suso (14th century philosopher) stated "a man who has not suffered, what does he know?" I am hoping my knowledge base stops growing sometime soon.

I still enjoy working out though I have moved indoors to the gym until the sun sets a lilltle earlier in the day. I really enjoy getting out on the bike for short rides and was honored to be ther when my good friend, lifesaving doc and collegue Tom Vendegna went on his 5 year cancer survival century ride (). Also, my medical group had a get together and it was so cool to see everyone and catch up. I really enjoyed seeing you all. On a lighter note, I have been indoctrinated into Facebook by a few of my friends. It is kind of fun so visit our site and enjoy...maybe build one of your own?

I will continue to press my doctors about returning to the pool, ocean and work. In light of the recent findings, my return to work has been reconfirmed as late Fall for now but when it comes to getting wet I will remain relentless...: I hope this update finds you all healthy and stoked. I am still here and will continue to keep you informed. Remenber, pray often and know that what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger...And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

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