HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFTOFF

I can’t believe the learning curve that we’ve ascended in the past week or so. We’ve gone from knowing virtually nothing to becoming well educated enough to be comfortable understanding the information we have to make a well-informed decision about the best path forward. (no wonder I can’t sleep). The surgery is scheduled for Tues Jan 31st. (adios, el lumpo!)—after a few week hiatus (and that well-timed family trip to Mexico) I’ll have 6 months of chemo and 5 weeks of radiation, not necessarily in that order. It will be quite a year, but now that the path is laid I can start walking it. Even though it’s not what I would’ve picked for my 2006 goals, it is my reality and we will make the best of it. I heard from Kelly’s today show interview that cancer patients who share more and get more help do better, so I’m embracing that route. We will get the web page up, hopefully today, and I will send out an email to everyone I think would want to know tomorrow. I’ll try to arrange things at work so that I don’t get kicked off the fast track. I will try to allow myself to ask for the help we will surely need, graciously accept what I’m offered, and face this thing with the optimism, dignity, and good humor that I know I’m capable of. Brave as a tiger, strong as an ox, right?
Bring it on.