Tomorrow we head back north for a few days and then east. I finished the clinic part of the treatment on Friday, tied up some loose ends on Monday, and will be leaving. It is too early to determine the success of this treatment and I will continue to give myself IVs over the next 2 months in anticipation of my follow up. Dr. Munoz seems to think we are on schedule, but we will know more after the treatments have had a chance to show, through the labs and scan results, where we are. I have met so many great people here. Some of them have gone home already and some continue to be treated. It has been a source of inspiration to me when I needed it most. Sadly, we had a dose of reality while I was there, also. A man named Bill who had advanced Liver Cancer passed away at the hospital in Tijuana while I was in treatment. I didn't get to know his life away from cancer much, but he was a "Comrade in Arms" for about 2 weeks while I was there. He had a great family and I know he will be missed by many. I will miss many that I met there and I won't name them only because I am sure I would forget one, due to my memory and not their impact, and they are too important to me to take the chance. My next step will be to Salt Lake City (Huntsman Cancer Institute) for a few days to renew the acquaintance between Lupron and my backside. Then, off to St. Louis where we will take up residence in my Mom's basement. We have spent a lot of money working to overcome this and need some time to get back on our feet. I thank my Mom for the accommodations. I am not proud that we need to start over again, but grateful that I have family that will help us. My wife says that some people our age get divorced and start over and that we are divorcing cancer. That thought has helped me transition into some of these changes. I am telling you about this because I don't want others to put pride before treatment. It is a hard thing to do when you are used to living your life on your terms, but the hardest thing for me is to allow others to help me. If you are in a similar circumstance, please allow others to help you get strong. My goal is to use this experience to help others. That is why I share everything I can, but just like on the airplane, you have to put your oxygen mask on before you can help others with theirs. I will write more when I can, as we are traveling. But please know that all of you are in my heart and mind, always.
B.
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