My Goal

Since the first of the year my whole life has changed in an instant. 2007 was a hard year. I went through trials, tragedy, and triumph. I've been in remission since August 10th and celebrated the death of my best friend and older cousin in a motorcycle accident. Two peas in a pod became one and I miss him everyday. Over the last 7 years I've let my body go. I'm had surgeries and been on steroids, chemo, experimental cocktails, immunos. I've had 5 spinals in the last year alone. The last thing I was thinking about was my body in anyway other than it held a disease I had to fight tooth and nail. There's this myth that people who have cancer become rail thin and waste away. It does happen in the later stages, different medicines, different cocktails and genetics. I've had bone marrow aspirated and can't count the amount of PET, CT, & MRI I've had in 2007 there too many to count. I've gained 100 pounds of fluid, water, and fat. I've t the outside reflect the pain and devastation my heart has had since first diagnosis.

2008 is a new year for me. I finally have hope that I'm fighting the good fight. I have good pain management and a great team of nurses and doctors. Already my job of 7 years moved my office from Tewksbury to Quincy which is a good 80 so miles from my home. You'd think I'd be crazy about the commute through Boston but I'm not regretting it yet.

This is my new year. The real me. I'm taking what I've learned about perseverance against disease and I'm going to use it to make the outside look the way I feel inside. I just have to remember to not give up on myself so I can turn this Buddha into what it should be.

Wish me luck.