June 8, 2004 DAY #223
Friends,
I didn't have a doctor appointment today. It is tomorrow. I wanted to update everyone though. I won't be able to send an update tomorrow until very late, since we are going straight from the doctor's office to the airport to leave for Chicago and fishing in Wisconsin. We are very excited about that. The doctor's appointment will probably be pretty boring anyway. It had better be. Short of restraining me on a hospital bed by force, I don't think they will find anything wrong that will keep me from going on vacation.
Lots of stuff happening in the last couple of weeks. Last week, the diarrhea continued through the week, skipping Tuesday and Friday. I couldn't eat much and I think I lost a lot of weight. That is the bright side of the week! I just hope I can keep the weight off. My digestive system seems to have returned to normal now, so that makes me happy.
This weekend was the Seventh Annual San Diego-Suzuki Rock and Roll Marathon. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society trained over 6000 runners to run in this race. They all had a pasta dinner on Saturday afternoon/evening. Menchie and I were at one of the dinners. We were in a huge ballroom that had 221 tables in it. Each table had 12 diners. Our job was to walk around to the tables and welcome the runners to San Diego, and thank them for helping to save my life. They are all heroes to me. The looks on their faces were precious. It was a highly motivating and wonderful experience. All together, these runners raised over 85 million dollars for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. What an awesome, inspiring event.
The local Leukemia & Lymphoma Society chapter has asked me to be the keynote speaker for the Light the Night Captain's Kickoff meeting. This is a great honor. I am really looking forward to it.
I was looking at my home page at
today, and noticed that I said that this web site was dedicated to my fight against Leukemia. It was interesting to reflect on this fight. In the beginning, it was a defensive fight, just trying to keep it at bay. For the last few months, my fight has started to transition to an "offensive" fight. I am starting, with your help, to attack the disease outside of myself, by fundraising and supporting, through the Society, other patients, researchers, and others who are fighting this disease with me. I find this an interesting perspective.
Another interesting (to me anyway) thing this week is reflecting on my upcoming birthday at the end of this week. One year ago, I had no reason to think I wouldn't get to this birthday. 11 months ago, I had very little reason to believe I would. I might have been going over the hill, but for me, the other side of the hill looked more like a vertical cliff. Now it doesn't look so bad, because of the gift of life I received from my brother. I heard a saying this week, "Life is a gift, don't waste it". There are many other phrases like this, ie, "Carpe Diem", or "Let you light shine" or probably many others, but this one seemed particularly meaningful to my life right now. This last year has been one of those defining "moments" in a person's life that have a tremendous impact on ones life. Like the apostle Paul on the road to Emmaius. Many people have such experiences in a variety of ways. They might be religious, spiritual, health related, or whatever. I can think of only one other event in my life that had as significant an impact overall on my life, aside from birth, that is. More than most people, this event has made me realize that my life really is a gift, and I don't want to waste it. That is why I feel compelled to carry on the fight, to become a leader, however small, in the war against blood cancers. I hope you will come with me to this battle, and help make many more birthdays possible for many others who get Leukemia.
Thanks, my friends, for your support! Have a great week!
Ted
tw@wilcoxent.com