A Message Of Love For Bill  & Denise

Bill's Newsletters To Family & Friends

15th Newsletter -

Hello All,

I hope everyone had a good holiday(s), since my last update, and did not have too bad of a time back East with the consecutive severe snow storms. A good deal of time has gone by without an update, but a lot has occurred during that 4 months… a lot of good things!!!

First, I would like for everyone to know that I am now CANCER-FREE, which should be for good!!! My cancer marker, which started at 1.4 million, is now 1, which is considered normal, and all my CAT and MRI scans show no active cancer anywhere in my body, including my brain!!! There are some precautionary procedures that my doctors are now assessing (i.e. possible surgery) to lessen the likelihood of the cancer returning and monitoring of my blood, but no more planned treatments for cancer (i.e. chemo) that I will need to endure, which is GREAT!!! The high dose chemo and stem cell transplant was relatively painless, except for a couple of days. I was in the hospital for 19 straight days in November, December, and January. However, as only as I could plan it, I was home for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s (i.e. I guess I was not that sick:)!!!

However, as effective the chemo therapy was against my cancer, it did cause problems with my body, as well, which I will need to work on!!! The high dose chemo did completely neutralize my body’s immune system, which will take about a year to fully recover, but it has already started to come back pretty well, now, with medication!!! I just need to be careful of what I eat (i.e. avoid food-poisoning), crowds (i.e. avoid the flu, measles, etc.), and I can have an occasional glass of wine with dinner, even though there are many different sizes of glasses to choose from:)!!! I also have nerve damage in my feet and hands, from all of my past chemos (i.e. peripheral neuropathy), which I am on medication for, which could take months or years to go away, if not permanent, BUT it’s not that bad and I am ALIVE!!! Using this as an excuse for my golf game will be PERMANENT!!! Lastly, I need to recover my strength from being pounded by one treatment, after the other, for the past 12 plus months. However, I have already started this process, slow to start!!!

So, even though it’s been a very tough year, it has been worth every treatment, shot, etc. to continue my wonderful life with Denise, our families, and friends!!! Through this adversity, I had the opportunity to better know all the extraordinary people in my life, which no words can describe!!! WOW… how fortunate am I to have you all in my life!!! I have had the best doctors, nurses, etc. for all my care, especially Dr. Betty and Dr. Denise!!! WE LOVE YOU ALL!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LOVE, SUPPORT, PRAYERS, WELL WISHES, GIFTS, CARDS, and being there for us!!!

This update should be the last that I put on in this fashion as I will hopefully be seeing most of you next in person, by phone, texting, facebook, or other means!!! Life is short (i.e. 2 to 3 hundred years), so let’s stay in touch and make sure that we enjoy every day we can together!!! Again, THANK YOU ALL, especially Denise!!!!!!!!!!

Love Always!!!

Bill and Denise