Lots to Talk About

Happy New Year to you and your families. I am happy to have finished 2008 and am ready for a new year. 2008 was tough. I got cancer, we thought that my father in law might have cancer (we've since learned that he does not have cancer), my uncle's girlfriend came down with cancer...Need I say more?

I started the year off with a resolution of sorts. I've decided to change me eating habits to a more cancer-hostile diet. Basically, this means lots of veggies and fruit, with the hopes of eliminating most (if not all) sugar, eliminating meat, eliminating fungus (yeasts, mushrooms, etc.), and changing the body's pH to a more cancer-hostile environment. It starts by trying to eat 70 to 80 percent raw foods and gets tougher from there. For the last few days, I've been trying to eat tons of veggies. It's going well, but is very tough. The idea of adding years to my life makes the process easier. The idea came from many sources, but especially the pH Miracle and Kris Car. She has written a book and made a video called Crazy Sexy Cancer and has appeared on Oprah with Dr. Oz. Good stuff. This diet should also help me to get rid of the 20 lbs that I've put on since last April (I attribute them mostly to my ice cream and see food diet).

I had a CT scan a week ago and am waiting for results (the results should be available during my oncologist appoitment visit next week). I'll post a new blog entry after that appointment. I'm getting to be a pro at CT scans. I came prepared for the it--empty stomach and LIDOCAINE W/PRILOCAINE rubbed on my arm to numb it up for the IV that goes with the scan. The technician/nurse who was doing the scan was impressed and had never seen anyone come with a numb spot on their arm. I think that it was my 4th scan in the last year, but who's counting.

Fun fact--I realized last week that chemo has not only thinned my hair, but it's made my armpit hair fall out. Robin is jealous.

Have I said thank you to you lately? Thank you to all of you. I appreciate everything that everyone has done to help me out over the last year. My friends, family, and community have been great in so many ways. We're truly very blessed.

Our Israel trip is on hold due to the instability in the region. That's ok. I can't see a reason to fight for my life against cancer only to go to Israel and get shot or blown up.

Back to the topic of cancer, I saw the Patrick Swayze feature done by Barbara Walters earlier this week. I really enjoyed watching it. He's inspirational. I can appreciate when he said that he wants to last until they find a cure. Here's a link to the story.

Also on the topic of cancer, I recently learned of a 4th grade boy at a local school, who recently learned that he has bone cancer. It started behind his knee and they just found 2 spots on his pancreas. His family is waiting for results of a test to see if those spots are cancerous. Chemo will start after the test results. I mentioned him in this email for a couple of reasons. First, please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Second, a group of families are signing up to bring them food and help out. We're going to send them a gift card for a restaurant or bring them some food. I have yet to contact them but I may try today. If you would like information about how you can help out, please contact me via email. I'll share the details that I have. Obviously, I won't publish specific information about them here for privacy reasons.

How about some good news? My cousin and his wife just had a baby. I have a new second cousin named Benjamin. I can't wait to meet him.

Well, I've said a mouthfull. Best wishes and big hugs to all of you,

Tim