To: Strong4him

I have been thinking about you and your husband. I have not seen any postings in awhile. Please update me if you can. I hope everything is going OK. Pat 

Thank you so much for thinking of us.  One day turns into the next and it seems like we have forgotten that he's sick.  He is so strong and no one would ever know to look at him that he is even sick.  We talk about that too.  He just went to Boston last week for another PET scan and hopefully the cancer has not spread and if everything is the way the dr. is hoping, they will be scheduling surgery soon.  I think that's when it is really going to be tough because our children will see then that Daddy is sick and needs to get better.  He is so brave and positive.

I hope all is going ok with you.  I suppose everything that any of us can to is go day to day and hope for the best.  Write again anytime I love to chit chat.   Thanks again for thinking of my family and my prayers are with you also.

-Strong4Him

I am so glad to hear things are going well, I hope the PET scan results give good news. That is wonderful that you can forget sometimes. Normal is a GREAT thing. Mama is doing well now after a rough week last week. She had an infection from the feeding tube and was in the hospital for a few days. But she was well enough to go  to church last Sunday. Her treatment will start Feb 12th. I am considering taking a day trip tomorrow to go skiing. My husband and I love to snow ski and I told him this is our only chance to go. When Mama's treatment starts there is no way I will leave, even for a day. It would be nice to try to forget just for a few hours.  It was great to hear from you. Please keep me updated and I will continue to pray for you and your husband.     Pat  

Dear Pat,

I hope you went on your ski trip and I hope you had a good refreshing time.  I also hope your Mom is doing better and that she gets her strength back so she can start her treatments on Monday.  We got the results of my husband's PET and nothing showed up.  NOTHING!!  Not even where the tumor is.  The PA I talked to said that anything under 1cm will not show on the scan, but we still took this as incredible news.  The tumor shrunk from about 5cm to at least under 1.  Today I am waiting for the surgeon to call to let us know what's next, surgery or not.  So once again it is a waiting game. 

Thank you for taking the time to write to me and I hope you know that you and Mom are in our prayers.  Keep in touch.

WONDERFUL!!! I am so happy for you and your husband. Your news gives me hope as well. Thank you so much for sharing it. I did put off my ski trip. I decided to spend the last normal weekend for awhile with my Mom. My husband really wanted to work anyway. Maybe we can go later. I can't wait to hear what the surgeon says. Please let me know.  Mom is better and she is ready to get started with her treatments so she can get it over with. She is a fighter.  Thank you for your prayers and support. I will continue to pray for you and your husband. I pray too that the Dr will make the best decision. Enjoy your good news.  Best Wishes, Pat 

Pat,

I hope you know what a positive person you sound like.  You are going to be such a help to your mother during all this.  One quick thing I wanted to tell you.  Right before my husband started his treatments I made him a book.  It was all about courage, strength, survival, anything inspirational.  I gave it to him so on the days when he just felt like crap or angry he could look at that and just have some uplifting things to read.  It actually helped me by making it.  Anyway I was just thinking about you because your Mom starts tomorrow, just a little idea that maybe you could do while you are taking care of her.

So the surgeon did call on Friday and he again said that the PET looked wonderful and then he said that he still needed to do the surgery.  My husband and I kind of had mixed feelings about it, but then we realized that this is really where we want to be.  Take the esophagus out and get rid of any of the microscopic things that might be floating around in there.  It looks like within the next two to three weeks he will have his surgery.  It's just the next step to beating this horrible cancer. 

Keep in touch and good luck tomorrow.  Positive thinking and prayers are what's helping us and ours are with you.