I love that summer is coming to an end. I don't think I have ever ever ever said that before. I'm over it. I'm over the heat. I'm over the kids fighting because they're around each other too much. I'm O.V.E.R it. You know what I'm talking about, right? All of it. I'm ready for the fall- for all of the new beginnings that are coming our way.[...]

I called the office first thing this morning to ask about his scan results. The nurse called me back very quickly and said that Dr. Shune gave her permission to read the Impression on the report. As she read it to me, I might have given a couple fist pumps in the air. There is IMPROVEMENT in the peri hilar region as well as the mediastinum. This is HUGE NEWS! IMPROVEMENT. We have now heard that word with the last 2 scans he has had! I said to the nurse, "THAT IS SO AWESOME!" She said, "Dr. Shune was very very happy with these results. She told me that when she saw Mike in the hospital a couple months ago she could practically see the cancer growing. He was in bad shape."[...]

I called the office first thing this morning to ask about his scan results. The nurse called me back very quickly and said that Dr. Shune gave her permission to read the Impression on the report. As she read it to me, I might have given a couple fist pumps in the air. There is IMPROVEMENT in the peri hilar region as well as the mediastinum. This is HUGE NEWS! IMPROVEMENT. We have now heard that word with the last 2 scans he has had! I said to the nurse, "THAT IS SO AWESOME!" She said, "Dr. Shune was very very happy with these results. She told me that when she saw Mike in the hospital a couple months ago she could practically see the cancer growing. He was in bad shape."[...]

What is it about appointments and sitting in waiting rooms that makes a person SOO tired? We had a long day at KU Med today, starting at 8:00. (We had to leave at 6:45)(Up at 5:30)(I'm not a morning person!!!!) The last appointment was over around 3:30. When Mike gets chemo on Fridays, Tuesday is usually his worst day. So combine that with a day of walking all over the medical center, and back again, and it equals one really tired man. I'm hoping to call tomorrow and get the results from his PET scan today.[...]

Mike had chemo on Friday, and everything went well. It went better than well, actually. It was the best day of treatment that he's had. A friend from Mike's childhood, Mick Remondino was in town and came to visit for a few hours. He and Mike hadn't seen each other in almost 20 years, so it was great for them to catch up. Mike had told me about all of the fun times the two of them had shared as kids, so it was fun for me to finally meet him.[...]

When I feel joy, I feel like I'm soaring. And I cry. When I feel sorrow, I feel like I'm drowning. And I cry. When I feel gratitude, however, I just can't explain it. So I cry. And today I broke down in tears every time I tried to express my gratitude towards bone marrow donors.[...]

I have so many thoughts flying around in my head. I can't type it all up fast enough. We've learned to be so patient through all of this. 15 months of learning how to be patient as tests are ran, results trickle in, things don't go as planned.... Patience has been a new skill I've acquired. So...Should I start with the good news? Of course I should- I've had nothing but bad news for way too long. And you're probably tired of waiting for this. Thanks for your patience.[...]

This past week has been really good for Mike, and for all of us. He had chemo a week ago, Friday, and it didn't keep him down long. He slept most of the day on Saturday, but then started to get a little more energy everyday thereafter.[...]

In the past week Mike has started a lot of his sentences with, "When we get through this...". He's talking plans for the future. I could cry tears of sweet relief just from the change in his attitude, as well as how he's feeling. I could sit and talk about our dreams for the future all day long. It's been amazing.[...]

Friday was an entire day of the new chemo called R- GemOx. The BMT (bone marrow transplant) doctors at Westwood all rotate when we have visits so we get to know each doctor and vice versa. We met with Dr. Abhyankar and a group of nurses right off the bat. They went over medications, scheduled the next few visits, and discussed this treatment plan.[...]