Spring is sprung, the grass is riz,
I wonder where the flowers is…
Anon
It’s been a while since I’ve shared with you in this space. Hopefully you haven’t been too concerned about my welfare after the last post of several months ago. So I’ll start by saying that things are going very well.
My cancer is gone again.
The treatment worked wonders. There were a rough few days in the couple of weeks after the treatment. I went through a “cytokine storm” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine_storm) as my body killed and eliminated cancer cells. Since then, I’ve been working to recover my strength after months of being in and out of the hospital. As of now, I’m feeling very well. I’m out walking and doing yard work, and my strength is gradually returning.
I’m still part of the clinical trial, being monitored for side effects and continued remission. This month at a medical conference my doctors will unveil preliminary results of the trial. I can’t talk about the trial results until they’re announced. I can say that my result was an unqualified success. Thank God for that!
Even if the treatment effects don’t last forever (and hey, that’s the way of many things in this life) I always will be grateful to God, my family and friends, the UCLA and the Jonsson Cancer Center (https://cancer.ucla.edu/) for all they have done for me. I am truly the luckiest guy on the planet, and very much blessed.
Like many lucky Americans, Roslyn and I have been vaccinated against COVID-19. We are ready to get back out there and see the world and all the people we love. With my illness and with COVID-19, we’ve been sequestered far too long.
Be well and be happy. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. May God bless you all. Talk to you again soon.
Traveling with Friends 
Thomas, this is such great news! I’m so glad to hear you’re on the mend, vaccinated and ready to enjoy Spring. My stepfather also received treatment from a clinical trial at UCLA and the Jonsson Cancer Center for his thyroid cancer and they were really great to him. My mom volunteers for the UCLA JCCF Conejo Valley Guild as well to help pay it back, so I’m so glad they helped you too.
BTW, my father always said a slight variation on your quote, with his Brooklyn accent:
Spring is sprung, the grass is riz,
I wonder where the boidies is?
The boid is on the wing,
But that’s absoid
From what I hoid
The wing is on the boid!
Looking forward to getting together in the not too distant future. Just had my first vaccination yesterday. 🙂
Kerry
LikeLike
Tom and Roslyn, Thank you for the update.
We are so glad for this report.
You are so blessed to have your family and each other.
We hope you are especially enjoying this beautiful spring and your health is increasingly improving so you can do fun outside activities.
Sending love and hugs, Cindy and Steve
>
LikeLike