Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign

Well, maybe not everywhere, but I did have an amazing turnout today from so many friends for my book signing at Eagle Eye Books in Decatur.

Adele introduced me (twice - it was mostly a late-arriving crowd) and I spoke a little and read a little from the book. The store sold out of their copies so I was signing the ones from my personal stash and asking people to check out after the fact. The auditor in me would love to see what their negative balance in inventory looks like now.

Marcie and I were reminded and humbled by how many people care about us. There may have even been one or two people who care about us but couldn't make it today. Thanks to each of you who was able to be there. It meant a lot to us!

Hey, Hey, Hey

Like the theme from Fat Albert warns, if you're not careful, you may learn something before it's done.  Dr. Cosby wasn't talking about my book, or about the book signing this weekend, but he could've been. 

If he were talking about the book signing, he would probably remind you that it's this Saturday, October 29th, from 1:00 - 2:30p at Eagle Eye Book Store, which Bill would definitely mention is at the corner of N. Decatur and Clairmont next the Kinko's (because The Coz is old school, he wouldn't call it the FedEx Store). 

And right before he went to get himself a Jello Pudding Pop, I'm pretty sure Dr. C would remind everyone how much I appreciate your support whether you can come to the signing or not. 

Live From the Chemo Room 13

Me:    My twins asked me when we'll be able to say I don't have cancer anymore

Dr. Z: I think you can tell them there's no evidence of cancer.

YES!

That's the official word on this, my 13th visit to the chemo room. I will stay on the maintenance drugs for several months, which is totally fine. But the latest PET Scan confirms what I've been feeling/hoping was the case. Now we get to do a colonoscopy next! Yay!

It's a little slow here in the chemo room today, but one of the regulars is here and was looking and sounding a bit down. I gave him a copy of my book, which he is voraciously reading as I type. The nurses have all read it now and one mentioned to him that it was just what he needed today. That makes me happier than selling 100 copies on Amazon would. Well, maybe just as happy...

Time to celebrate.

PS - Marcie wants it noted for the record that she was not "a wreck." So noted.  

Live from the Pet Scan Prep Room

Yes, it's that time again. Holed up in my little cell, I'm awaiting the trip down the hall to the what we in nuclear medicine affectionately call "the tube."

I meant to post last week about the presentation I attended featuring Sidddhartha Mukharjee, the Pulitzer Prize Winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. He told some interesting stories about individual patients that helped personalize the story of cancer research over the last 100 years or so.

Look at me, I'm an Author!

In the Q&A portion, the author was asked about Steve Jobs. He said he had on his computer an open letter to Jobs that he had drafted for the NY Times a couple weeks ago when it appeared Jobs' time was short. Basically the idea was that here's this guy who delivered transformational technologies to the world many times over and "we," the medical community had failed to reciprocate in cancer innovation, particularly pancreatic cancer. He feels we're 10 years out from being able to manage or maybe even cure the type of pancreatic caner Jobs had, but that pace could have easily been accelerated.
I sold 2 copies of my book, and gave one to to Mukharjee. He laughed when I said it was the bathroom companion to his Pulitzer Prize winner. Maybe he'll blurb my book, who knows?

But enough about him. Let's get back to me.

I feel a bit like Alice today, because the room I am in is the even-smaller version reserved for when the two other prison cells are in use. My tech Eric says it's the VIP suite. I reminded him that suites usually have running water and are wide enough for a twin bed or two. This one, using the tried and true ceiling tile counting method, is 9 ft by 5 ft. I have shoeboxes bigger than this, but then again I do wear a size 12.5.

Eric has obviously trained with Vince, who you may recall from earlier posts or from my book. He is the second funniest person I've met in the cancer journey, and Eric may be a close third. Vince just popped his head in (because nothing else would fit) and I told him I'd grab a copy of my book for him when I go to leave here in an hour or so.

Today's barium-masking flavor is vanilla. Coming off an 8 hour fast, which is only two days removed from a 25 hour fast, it's quite decent. I can barely taste the goat semen.

I'll have the results from this scan on Friday. I'm confident all is still well. I wish I could convince Marcie to feel the same way, but I think she'll be a wreck until we see Dr. Z. It's in her nature to worry for me. It's in my nature not to worry about anything. Makes us a good pair, don't you think?

Love Me Through It

Those of you who know me well know my musical appetite is more Donny than Marie, yet I wanted to pass along this beautiful song by Martina McBride, who they tell me is an accomplished country singer. Sandy in my office sent it to me the other day.

Listen to the words carefully, and you'll hear what I have heard from Marcie and what every Member of the Club hopes to hear: a message of unequivocal love and support from a spouse or lover: I'm Gonna Love You Through It. I also like that there's a realistic portrayal of breast cancer in the lyrics, the disfigurement, the desire to feel like a woman again, etc. Nothing held back.

Sometimes You've Got to Walk The Walk

This is from Walt Mossberg's blog entry today, recalling a walk with Steve Jobs. It echoes a philosophy I have about pushing yourself through recovery. Adele knows this. She came to my house and dragged me out for a walk the weekend after my first chemo infusion. Her mother-in-law Doris gets it too. She's the one with the line, "get your ASS out of bed every day!"

The Walk

After his liver transplant, while he was recuperating at home in Palo Alto, California, Steve invited me over to catch up on industry events that had transpired during his illness. It turned into a three-hour visit, punctuated by a walk to a nearby park that he insisted we take, despite my nervousness about his frail condition.

He explained that he walked each day, and that each day he set a farther goal for himself, and that, today, the neighborhood park was his goal. As we were walking and talking, he suddenly stopped, not looking well. I begged him to return to the house, noting that I didn’t know CPR and could visualize the headline: “Helpless Reporter Lets Steve Jobs Die on the Sidewalk.”

But he laughed, and refused, and, after a pause, kept heading for the park. We sat on a bench there, talking about life, our families, and our respective illnesses (I had had a heart attack some years earlier). He lectured me about staying healthy. And then we walked back.

Steve Jobs didn’t die that day, to my everlasting relief. But now he really is gone, much too young, and it is the world’s loss.

Here's the full blog, including a video of Walt talking about the walk with Steve:

http://allthingsd.com/20111005/the-steve-jobs-i-knew/

Various and Sundry Things

Does the Thought Really Count?
Man, I hope so. I was in Seattle this weekend and picked up presents for the kids. Having learned a lesson or two over the last 20 years, I called Marcie to ask if it was OK for me to pick up a little something for her. Yes, she said, depending on what and how little. So a few cell-phone photos later, we jointly agreed that I would surprise her with a lovely glass disc necklace from a booth in the Pike Place Market. I slid the necklace into my jacket pocket and scooted back to the hotel to grab my bags.

What might have been...

Arriving home around 11 last night , I unpacked Adam's t-shirt, A&J's bracelets, and the 6lb salmon I bought in the market. But no necklace. Not in my jacket, my luggage, nor my laptop bag.
Marcie was LHAO when I returned upstairs to tell her there was no necklace after all. At least I made her laugh...

Cancer-related Names

Shout out to Danny G for this one. Danny said from now on, he was going to call me chemo-sabe, a Potowatame term of endearment for a friend going through treatment. I told him I would call him "sucker" which is Seminole for "one who entered the casino with $300 bucks and left with nothing."

I was catching up on The Big C episodes on the flight home and heard another good one. If you've never seen the show, the main character Cathy has melanoma. I know, hilarious, right? Anyway, in this particular episode, she thanks hubby Paul for his support, driving, making Dr. appointments, etc. He says, "No problem, honey, I'm your cancierge."

I think both of those terms are awesome! Anybody have more to share? 262 enquiring minds want to hear from you!

Wanna see me in my underwear?

Click to Donate

Marcie, Stuart, David, my dad, and others who've been there and done that need not comment. This opportunity has an even bigger payoff for you than seeing me in my underwear normally would. See, I'm running in the Undy 5000 on November 12th to benefit the Colon Cancer Alliance and if you folks help me reach my fundraising goal, I will do the race in my skivvies. My underwear is in your hands, people!

Click under the logo at right to learn more or to donate.

Don't forget - Big Event THIS Thursday, October 6th 

Please don't forget to come out to the Gwinnett Center this Thursday night to hear the Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies, and to get a huge laugh out of seeing my book for sale next to his. Details at this link.

Thinking pink

I think the whole pink corporate tie-in for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is overdone, but I did like this from the halftime show in Seattle today. The ribbon was formed by cheerleaders from local high schools in addition to the Sea Gals. Also on the field was a parade of survivors. Pretty cool! Shout out to Dara and anyone else doing the 3 Day, and to those who recently did the 2 Day - ya'll make me proud!

While in the Emerald City, I also was able to see my good friend Kim, who lives here and is allegedly married, but since I've never seen new hubby Scott, I'm not entirely sure I believe he's real. Earnie and I did have a great time with Kim and her friend Kelly even if we did appear to be falling asleep during the improv show.

Thanks again to the 790 The Zone gang for making this trip possible. We saw Salsa and Steak this morning. Glad you guys got the ride home on the team plane after a victory. Based on what I saw in Chicago, 5 hours after a loss would've been pretty miserable.