Nothing new to report except that I'm still here and doing well. Still waiting for the chemo doc to give me a report on what he saw on the disc and what the "new and improved plans" are!
Had a wonderful call from my granddaughter (Erin) who is getting married in August. She told me that she and her husband were planning on having a "blessing prayer" right after they were married and that a lot of the times the preacher does it. She asked me it would do it. After I quit crying I said yes. I am a blessed man!
Lynda and I are off to DC 9th to attend a "Couples Shower" for Erin and Lynn. Life is good.
Plus, less that 30 days from now I will "run into" my 75th year.
What would I do without Lynda? What a girl! With me in the good times and even closer in the challenging times. With her, all my girls (Wow), the son in laws, all the grands, my bro and sis, my cousins, the inlaws, the outlaws and all my friends across the globe, I've got it made. (If you felt I left you out, U B one of the outlaws!)
God is good!
Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To all of you who have emailed me since I started this journey, I thought I would bring you "up to date" on where I am as we approach the one year anniversary on me finding out that the growth that was in my gut was cancer plus celebrating these past 12 months!
Three months ago I had a PET scan and at that time the docs could not see any cancer. Surprised my chemo doc but he did say congrats but let's do this again in a coupla months.
Two weeks ago, another PET. This time, the doc was not surprised because we found some "marbling" of cancer is some of my lynph nodes. Bah, Humbug! Well, that means Round 2 coming up. I should be getting with the chemo doc next week to plan our attack. The doc told me, after reading the results of the scan, "Hey, cancer does kill, but what I'm seeing right now is sure not gonna keep you from going to New Mexico in July and seeing your granddaughter married in DC in August. I'll check with my colleuges and we will get on with this deal of getting you well."
Now, I just hope he feels the same way after he reads the disc that he had not seen yet.
As for how I feel, good some days, better the next. Still having trouble eating. I kinda think that some of my current situation comes from not looking forward to the PET scan and then losing my buddy, Tommy T, to prostate cancer. Kinda takes the wind outa your sails. But, with all the people I have praying for me all over the world, let me tell you, I ain't giving up, no way Jose!
Last year, June 27, 2009, I ran my first race for that year, after breaking my leg on Jan. 3. I got up yesterday, went to the track and ran an "anniversary mile." Not as quick as last year but it's a place to start. This eating deal has me all messed up. I not a bit hungry but I know that if I wish to train to "go faster" I've got to take in some energy producing foods! You know, when you train, you condition your body to think that what you are doing is "normal" and it must step up to the challenge and get stronger. For example, if you lift weights daily your muscles "think" that's normal and correspondently the muscles get bigger. (Now, that's when your 60 and under.) But, along with that, your body asks for more fuel to accomplish the task, and that's where my challenge comes. Sure, I want to train to go faster --- BUT --- if you don't (or can't) eat you dang sure can't do it! Duh! Me, Lynda, my girls and the docs will figure this deal out!
Hmmm, I did leave out the Lord, but it was only out of that sentence! He has a plan and our job is to make it happen!
Hope this finds you all well and I'll keep you in the loop.
Love you all,
Your pal,
Leighton

Well, here it is, June 21, and finally I'm coming to my senses and writing again. Part of the reason I haven't is that I lost my good pal, Tommy, to cancer. Kinda knocks the wind out of your sails. Then I went thru a time that I had the energy of a sloth. Up in the AM, grab a book and start reading and read and sleep all day and then go to bed. My head was on backwards. Plus, I knew I was going to do another PET scan and I was having some doubts. Wanted that chemo port out so I could began to prepare to go to DC in July (for a couples shower) and August (for the wedding).
Well, the scan was done and it turns out I have some "marbling" of cancer in some of my nodes. The port stays in. Bah Humbug! Well, as my chemo doc and I discussed, Round 2 coming up. He told me that of course cancer is life threatening (duh) but this stuff I have now (which he really expected when they did a scan two months ago) is just going to take some more chemo to knock it down. We will putting together a plan this week but he also told me, "Don't worry, you'll be going to the wedding."
Love you all and I'm glad I've finally (partially) "got it together."
Don't know what God has in store for me but I'm His boy and we're moving on down the trail together. But, I haven't started on my "Bucket List" yet!