Friday Revue and Christmas Surprises; Life Lessons

I was up blogging my last blog until 2 AM last night. (Day of treatment syndrome; steroids and too much sleep during the day I guess.) Anyway, I made it to bed by 2:30AM and was up again by 7:30AM. After radiation I got to work just before the market opened at 9:30. (We had a good week in the market. I am hoping we get a Santa rally leading up to Christmas.)

I spent the morning taking care of all the voicemail messages from Thursday when I was out doing chemo. I had to skip lunch to prepare for my first appointment, which was at 1 PM. That appointment went to 3 PM so I was late for my 2:30 outside appointment (who, it turns out is seven year Stage IV breast cancer survivor) but Ryan covered for me; I got back to the office just in time for my 4 PM appointment followed by dinner at the Isle Yacht Club. Yoko and I got home from dinner tonight at 9:30PM. Coincidentally, while we were at the Yacht Club, we were introduced to a man who had just lost his wife to lung cancer. After the poor man left, the comment was made that "she smoked like a chimney" with, of course, the implication that she brought her demise on herself. All the while I am thinking...OK...but at least she was in her late sixties! Is that how people will remember me? The stupid idiot ...he smoked like a chimney!? God, I hope not!

During dinner Yoko let me know that Mom had called to tell us that she has arranged to send tickets to both Paula and June to come here for Christmas! And I thought Santa was a childhood fantasy! What a wonderful surprise! This is sure to be a very special Christmas, thanks to Grandma. And thank you Paula and June for making the time to come! Mom plans to join us here on the 19th; the girls follow on the 21st. We will be at full capacity and there should be plenty of blog material forthcoming. Anyone reading this is also welcome to come visit us here in Florida this winter.

It has been great to see comments coming in from different family members. If you go back and look, there is a message from Joanie on the Uncle Sam Letter blog. Thanks Joan...I love you too! The best part is knowing that people are taking time to read it out of concern and caring.

For me, blogging has been a great way of documenting what I am doing and feeling each day and reflecting on how I am leading my life and using my time. I would like to set a good example for my children, in the time I have, to show them all the possibilities that a full life offers. On this topic, Ryan told me about a great video on YouTube you should see. It is Jimmy V announcing the start of the Jimmy V Cancer Research Foundation at the Espy Awards in 1993. It is a nine minute talk about life and how to lead your life...when you have time click on this link to watch it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePXlkqkFH6s

My sister Peggy sent me an inspirational video called "The Last Lecture of Randy Pausch." He was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon who was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the liver. This was a kind of living memorial service put on for him by the University. It is a very moving talk about the fulfillment of his childhood dreams. The video goes for about one hour. It is something worth watching when you have the time. The link is: http://cmu.edu/uls/journeys/randy-pausch/index.html

I was talking with Scott Lunin today and I said to him that your view of life changes when you know your time on earth may be limited. It changes your perspective and suddenly you want to go out and do good. I think this is natural and is reflected in these kinds of inspirational talks by people diagnosed with a terminal disease. Love and care for your family, help others, and do something to make the world a better place before you leave it.

I think most people living their daily life don't recognize all the capacity we have to love, do good and change the world for the better. I thought the Jimmy V comments said it all when he said, if you laugh, think and reflect, and cry once a day, you are living a full life. By those standards, I am living a very full life these days!

Before I learned that Mom had arranged to bring the girls here, I was thinking of making my Christmas gift to Yoko a trip in January and go somewhere. Problem is, after looking around, there is no place we would rather be than in sunny South Florida during the winter.

I would really like to take a trip across the USA in an RV or take a trip to Italy with Yoko. My retirement dream was to spend a year in Italy (Tuscany) with Yoko studying Italian and art... Anyway, we have been talking about a trip to Italy, but we both decided against another winter trip to Europe. The best time to visit Italy is in the spring; we'll have to see what kind of physical condition I will be in by then. I do need to find out from Uncle Sam the name of the town where my grandfather was born. I know he went and I would like to see it too.

It's hard to plan any travel when you have this condition, since I need to be around for the needed treatments. Hopefully by spring, Scott will tell me the cancer is gone and I am in complete remission; the only thing left to do will be to wait and see what happens. That is when will feel like a cancer survivor rather than a victim. So I am planning to take trip somewhere with Yoko in the spring to celebrate....I found a cruise aboard the brand new Queen Victoria that would leave from England and take you around the world for only $22k per person (drinks and excursions fares separate). Aside from the fare, the only problem is the 106 days you need to make the trip.

It IS a luxury cruise... I wonder if they offer chemo on the boat?