I believe in the rebound of 2011, whatever degree it is in. It will turn around the fortunes of 2010, and for me that has multiple meanings. As you are beginning to read this blog, you may have noticed my last posting was on March 26th. Three days later I was diagnosed with throat cancer. Not anything I would have feared at any point in my life. I have hardly ever been sick for any reason.
I had been having difficulty back in the fall of 2009 with my church choir activity. I began to have a nagging, irritating and dry cough. I was scoped in the office of my Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat specialist on the 29th of March, and he immediately scheduled me for a PET Scan two days later, and a biopsy the following day. Not the news I wanted to take home to my wife and family. My doctor was pretty certain of his diagnosis, and it turned out to be totally accurate.
Our first blessing, and bullet I dodged, was that the PET Scan showed no activity below the collarbone. I had a primary tumor at the back of my tongue (signaled by my trouble singing), and the left lympth node in my neck, just behind the jawbone. I'm detailing this in case someone else experiences the same warning signals. Because I listened to my body, I got diagnosed and started treatment early, even though I had a level 4 cancer.
The next few weeks were dedicated to meeting all the treatment teams, radiation and chemo oncology, and preparing for the very agressive treatment that would go on for seven weeks. As I understood it, throat cancer, and any that involve the head and neck, is the more debilitating than most others, though none are pleasant.
This was war, and one that we resolved to win. My wife Donica and I share a strong faith. The way we approached this illness was to come to terms with the fight we needed to wage; and how we were to work together to win it. We couldn't change the condition and had little to say about the treatment needed. This was about saving my life, and at least eliminating the need for radical surgery. The thing we did have control over, and which became my job this year, was managing the side effects, which became more inconvenient and tiring every week. Donica was my manager, reminding me of all the little things that I would casually dismiss in getting lost in the big picture. She concentrated on things I didn't even want to give any significance to. Believe me, it is all significant.
I guess, given the nature of our real estate market in 2010, this was an ideal time to take a sabbatical. I had a few listings that I was able to manage at arms length, but I was totally taken out of the loop with new buyers. I essentially put my personal marketing on hold.
Blessing number two came on September 30th after a precautionary 2nd biopsy. My EENT doctor took a very thorough sampling from the main tumor, and it was free of cancer cells. We were so relieved, for that got us past any immediately need for that surgery I mentioned. I didn't recognize how huge that was for several days past.
I completed my last treatment on June 15th, and have been recovering from it for the last 5 months. I was nurturing myself through a tube installed to my stomach from the outside. I just had it removed the first of November.
I feel great, having lost about 40lbs I've been working on for 10 years. Yea!! My energy level is fine. I am looking forward to getting back in the swing by the beginning of the year. This is my first blog post, as I said, since March 26. There has been a lot of water pass under the bridge where the nation's economy and the real estate markets are concerned, and a lot to write about in the weeks to come. I'm looking forward to it and to your comments if you wish.
In the meantime, let me extend my families' Best Wishes to all for a safe, healthy, and joyful Christmas, and holiday season, and the same for the New Year throughout. I know we have much to be thankful for.
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