As most of you know, I haven’t posted much lately. When Patti and I first started writing fightingdamien.com a couple years ago, our purpose was to provide updates on my health condition after my September 2010 diagnosis of stage 4 pancreatic cancer — and to share with anyone curious the interesting things we were learning about cancer and its treatment.  We absorbed, and we shared.

Along the way, we’ve had some great discoveries, experiences and outcomes. The last few times I reported on my condition, the status has been the same. The tumors in the pancreas and liver, plus the nodules in the lungs are the same size or shrinking. When I was first diagnosed, my c19, which is the blood marker that reflects the movement or growth or shrinkage of tumors, was 149. My doctor at the time mentioned that the average c19 number for normal circumstances is 55. And, he also told me that the number can get very large, too, as tumors grow and spread to other parts of the body. The last two times, past couple months, my doctor here in Austin has taken blood and my c19 number has dropped to 65, higher than normal, but just a touch above normal.

After two years of holistic treatments, nine months of chemo and watching my diet and exercise, here we are.

My doctor says that I am “a walking miracle.” I feel I have been blessed. When my diagnosis first occurred in September 2010, Patti and I were amazed at the outpouring of prayers and support. We reported these in fightingdamien. There were prayers said at a temple in Jerusalem, at the Mormon Church in Salt Lake City and various other churches and denominations across the country.  Since then, our friends and family have continued those prayers, for which I am eternally grateful.

I believe every morning is beautiful and a gift, whether sunny or rainy. I find God’s whispers invigorating and beautiful. Smiles come very easy and last long. I am thankful that Robert Frost wrote, “Two roads converged in a wood …,” and am thankful I have had the opportunities to explore both.

Thank you all for your love, support, prayers and best wishes.

 

Going forward, I will continue to provide you with health updates as they occur. And, I continue to love to write. It is so fulfilling. We are contemplating making a few changes to fightingdamien.com. Stay tuned, those changes will show up in the next posting.