All I want for Christmas ....

Dear Diary,

No matter how hard I try or how many times we return to Dr. Felice's office, I still get an

indecisive pit in my stomach when I walk through the front door. One of the greatest gifts I have is that I have a gut feeling about everything. My gut can tell me if PSU is going to pull out the win or if I'm going to be offered a job or even if the steak is done on the grill without really even looking. My gut and a bit of common sense has gotten me far in life, an undergrad degree, a masters, a marriage .... but now nothing.

Cancer has weakened my greatest super-power and has made a crack in the foundation of my house of cards. I can never predict what Dr. Felice is going to say from month to month. Cancer is so unpredictable and I'm afraid that no amount of gut or common sense can change that.

Though Andrew had a good appointment today and his chem panel blood tests seem normal, Dr. Felice is still sending out Andrew's labs to be further analyzed because of his never-ending fatigue. Dr. Felice has also ordered an MRI for Monday to rule out any further cancerous activity that could be contributing to his exhaustion. But all of this is really being done to just be overly cautious.

Of course going to any doctors appointment, at this point in our lives, adds anxiousness and stress to the day but we continue to think positively. My gut tells me that everything will continue to be stable but my brain always stops me and tells me to just take it one step at a time. And if Santa is listening, I would really really really like to have a crystal ball that predicts the future. Life is hard enough without this stress every 3 months.

But as for Andrew, he continues to be a mountain man .... see picture above. Dr. Felice even gave Andrew an early Christmas gift by teaching him one of his famous card tricks. My gut tells me that Dr. Felice only reserves his card trick secrets for really special patients. And I know Andrew falls into that category .... and for that I will forever be grateful.

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases .

Love, Hugs, Kisses, Awareness and Hope ~ Amy

Holiday Wish List

Some days I cannot help but be nostalgic and think back to last year at this time. Andrew had finished radiation and was continuing on with chemotherapy. The end of treatment seemed so far away and normalcy was a thing of the past. But we managed (and I'd like to report, that just like last year I am already done with the holiday shopping :) ).

Though Andrew's cancer is a thing of the past, I sometimes find it hard to believe. Andrew and I both look at life and what is important a lot differently than we did in the past. We don't stress the little things, find joy in mundane activities and enjoy whatever comes next in life.

During this holiday season, we hope that our loyal readers will do the same. The holidays can be a stressful time, especially for those going through life-altering experiences. We ask everyone to do their part to find joy in every task, big or small, they encounter over the holidays. Spend time helping others who need assistance and take time out of your day to make someone else's day special.

There are many things you can do from volunteering; helping to wrap gifts; giving to the less fortunate; or just donating your time. We hope that you can all add something like this to your holiday wish list.


Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season.


Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases .....

What does my health insurance plan mean for me?

Health Insurance has changed drastically over the past 30 years and has become more of a luxury than a given. With the country in an economical recession, employers are looking to make cuts and unfortunately, health insurance with its high premium costs are the first to go. But even with cuts, health insurance companies are offering more and more options to their plans. So what do they all mean?

In general, health insurance can be broken up into 4 categories: Traditional Indemnity plan (often called fee-for-service plans); PPO or Preferred Provider Organizations; POS or Point-Of-Service plans; and HMO or Health Maintenance Organizations.

A Traditional Indemnity Plan or Fee-For-Service (FFS) plan is probably an option that is not as well publicized as the other plans on the list. They do not have a contracted network of health care providers; instead, they decide on a set amount that they will pay for each service. The way the plan usually works is that a patient may have a procedure done at the hospital that costs $2000. The FFS might only reimburse for $1500 of that procedure. That means the patient is responsible for the remaining $500 plus whatever may be charged for any doctors or office follow-up visits. The plan does allow for a lot of flexibility to see whatever doctor or specialist the patient would like to see, the downside is that the cost could become drastically higher than being with one of the other 3 plan options.

Choosing the Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) as your health insurance option allows you the flexibility to receive medical treatment ‘in network’ (a database of doctors already preauthorized to treat you as a patient for a fixed cost determined by the doctor’s office and the health insurance company) for a fixed fee or ‘out of network’ (not under the rules above) for a higher premium cost. PPO’s are also more flexible and do not require a Primary Care Physician.

The Point-of-Service (POS) plan is a cross between the PPO plan and the HMO plan. Like an HMO plan, a POS plan requires that you have approval from a Primary Care Physician before seeing a specialist and will cover almost all charges as long as you choose someone with the network of prescribed doctors. But similarly, the POS plan is also flexible like the PPO plan in that you can choose to see a doctor out of network for usually a small co-pay or fee.

And a HMO or Health Maintenance Organization is a form of health insurance where the hospital and health care provider will work out an agreement to provide the most affordable form of insurance to the insurer. HMO companies work with hospitals and doctor’s offices to outline the specifics of what they will and won’t pay for services rendered– with no exceptions. For this reason, persons with HMO coverage must only use doctors and hospitals ‘in-network’ to receive treatment or they will be charged fully for the services provided. HMO patients must also have a Primary Care Physician approval before having any specialist treatment.

Different companies and different employers may offer variations on these 4 categories, so it is important to fully read your health insurance options before choosing the one that is best for you and your family. Remember to contact your benefits representative in your office to ask any questions, question charges from procedures or medical bills, and voice any concerns you have about your current coverage. Also ask scenario questions about each of the health care options available to you. What you would if, what do you do when, who do you contact if ….. It is important to know the in’s and out’s of your policy before something happens so you can be prepared for what to do next. Also, keep a paper-copy of your policy available if ever needed in case of emergency.

Each year companies have the option to change or maintain the same plan structure, so speak up if you feel something could better benefit you and your fellow employees.

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases …..

Vote Coach John Troxell!

Vote Coach John Troxell!

To work or not to work .... that is the question.....

Hearing that you have cancer, can be hard enough to swallow, but thinking about what to do next in terms of your every day life can be a challenge. If you are anything like Andrew, who is a work-a-holic, it will be hard for you to stomach the fact that you may not be able to continue to work full-time or at all during your treatment. Every person is different and each family has to take the time to figure out their own financial situation before making any rash decisions that may alter their lives forever.

Once you have a firm diagnosis, you should take the time to sit down with your human resources representative to fully understand what options are available for you. Knowing your legal rights about your job status, paid days off, medical insurance plan, long term and short term disability.

After speaking with your HR representative and understanding exactly what is expected of you if you were to need time off or special accommodations during your treatment, make sure you are aware of your legal rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating you in all phases of the employment process. he law protects an employee or a job applicant during the application process, testing, hiring, medical exams, promotions, layoffs, benefits, compensation, and leave time. The ADA also protects persons who have disabilities.

A cancer diagnosis is not automatically covered as a disability under the ADA. Individuals with cancer may have a qualifying disability if they can show a substantial limitation on a major life activity (even when an impairment is episodic). Individuals may also be protected under one of the other two prongs of the ADA—namely, that they have a history of an impairment or are being regarded as having an impairment.

The Family Medical Leave Act also protects the person effected with the disease and their spouses' job if they are unable to work and need to provide full-time care to the sick party. The law requires employers to provide employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid job and health insurance for protected medical leave during a 12-month period. The FMLA applies to employers with 50 or more employees, and employees must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months in the past seven years and to have worked 1,250 hours during those 12 months. Leave time under the FMLA can be taken as a 12-week block of time or can be taken in intervals, such as taking every Friday off to visit the doctor or receive treatment.

In addition, two federal laws help people with preexisting conditions maintain their health insurance coverage after leaving a job: COBRA and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). In addition, the new national healthcare reform law also contains protections and possible resources for individuals with preexisting medical conditions.

If you have questions related to the legal issues attached to your cancer diagnosis, reach out for help. The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC), a joint program of the Disability Rights Legal Center and Loyola Law School Los Angeles, can provide valuable assistance. Established in 1997 in direct response to the legal problems encountered by many cancer patients in the wake of their diagnoses, the CLRC provides free information and resources to cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and others coping with cancer, through educational seminars and conferences, national community outreach, and its telephone assistance line: (866) THE-CLRC [843-2572].

Who .... What ..... When .....

Coming to terms with the fact that you have cancer can be hard enough, but trying to figure out Who you need to see, What help that physician will be to you, and When to go and see them is the tricky part. Though there are many different areas of oncology, i.e., breast cancer, peds, rare diseases etc, the specific specialty areas stay the same across the board.

It is important to speak to your regular oncologist/hematologist at the beginning of your diagnosis as to when you should start to research and begin to set up appointments with other specialists besides him/herself to keep the progression of your treatment on track. Ask your current oncologist to help you to research other specialists in your area and health plan that would be of benefit to you and who will work with the already existing chemo plan you have in place.

Who to see?...... Besides your regular oncologist/hematologist, who will follow your chemotherapy treatments, regular blood work and office visits, there are also 4 other forms of oncologists who may be factors and partners in your treatment: Radiation Oncologists, Surgical Oncologists, Gynecological Oncologists and Pediatric Oncologists.

What help will these specialists be to me in my ultimate quest to be free of cancer?

• A Radiation Oncologists is a physician who specializes in treating cancer though radiation therapies and methods. Radiation Oncologists investigate the use of x-rays, electrons and gamma rays to destroy cancer. Radiation therapy is used on most types of cancers including breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer, skin cancer, brain tumors, some sarcomas and others.
• Surgical Oncologists are surgeons who specialize in the surgical removal of cancerous tumors. Surgical Oncologists do not train as an internist, like most other oncologists. A surgical oncologists is a general surgeon who does additional training in oncology and removal of tumors.
• A Gyn/Onc specializes in diagnosis and treatment of cancers of the female reproductive system, including ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer and more. Gynecological oncologists are doctors who trained in OB/Gyn and then choose to sub-specialize in oncology, by completing additional fellowship training.
• Pediatric Oncologists specialize in diagnosing and treating individuals under the age of 18 years of age who are suffering from cancer.

And when would be the best time for me to see these specialists? Depending on the type of cancer you are diagnosed will depend on when and what specialists you will need to see. For example, Andrew had Ewing's Sarcoma in his left hip. The protocol was to start chemotherapy for 4 rounds and then take a break to either have radiation treatment or surgery to remove the tumor and then to continue with about 8 to 10 more months of chemotherapy treatment. Since this protocol was very specific, it was important that after feeling comfortable with a Ewing's specialists, we began to immediately meet with Radiation and Surgical Oncologists to talk about Andrew's options, risks and possible outcomes from each of the options.

As a whole, it is important to get more than one opinion for any answer you are given to make sure you are doing what is right for you and what you feel most comfortable. But it is also important to keep a balance as well. Too many opinions can make you even more confused. Andrew and I (along with his family) saw at least 4 doctors in each of the respected fields. After all of the data was collected, we decided to choose radiation since the outcome results and further risks of cancers were no better than the surgical option, which would have left Andrew with a shorter left limb and other disabilities that would be unlikely reversible.

No matter what you choose it is important to be open-minded and to listen and take notes on all options presented to you. Also ask each doctor the same questions so that you have equal information to work with when you make your decision. A few questions that may be helpful to ask each doctor to explain:

• the cancer diagnosis and its stage
• discuss the treatment and the treatment options available to you
• how they will be delivering the care of the treatment to you, ie, techs, nurses, staff, etc you will be dealing with
• who will be the point of contact if you have more questions
• what the side effects of the treatment will be
• why do they recommend their way of treatment instead of another avenue of treatment
• what is the expected timeline of treatment
• what is the expected recovery time (if any)
• what are the short term and long term effects of the treatment
• ask about your ability for reproduction (if applicable)
• and how much experience they have treating this type of cancer with this sort of treatment they are recommending.

Good luck, stay calm, be alert and take good notes and you will be able to make an informed decision that will serve you in the best way as you continue through treatment.

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases ........

How to be Thankful for Cancer.....

One of the most frequent questions that I’m asked by friends and family is how we were able to make it through the past year and still smile. To be honest, some days are easier than others but in general we are thankful for the past year. Yes, Thankful. And today, on Thanksgiving 2010, we have a lot to be Thankful for. First off, we are thankful for the positive outcome of Andrew’s health after 60+ treatment days of chemotherapy and 30+ days of radiation. We are also so Thankful for our supportive friends who keep up-to-date on Andrew, call regularly, send cards, gifts, come to visit and never ask for anything in return. There are no words to describe what your friendships mean to us and how we could never repay you for your kindness and love. We are also thankful to our parents and brothers who never hesitated to drop everything to drive hours and hours to clean our house, do our laundry, cook dinner, watch the dog, hang new doors, replace our flooring and attend what seemed like never-ending doctor appointments with us. I’m sure our brothers will find a way to have us pay them back …. manual labor of some type or something to those effects …. But as for our parents, we know Andrew’s health is enough repayment for now.

We are also Thankful for the amazing medical team at Reston Hospital on the 4^th floor oncology wing and the Outpatient Infusion Center. Nursing is a Thankless job but we know that this outcome would have been possible with your understanding, care and patience. And one of the biggest people we are Thankful for is Dr. Felice, Andrew’s oncologist. I am almost positive that Dr. Felice lost as much sleep during this past year as I did. We are Thankful for his proactive and open approach to medicine and this ability to leave his ego at the door and see the greater outcome, Andrew’s overall health and well-being.

Believe it or not, we are also Thankful for the cancer itself. Not for the disease but for what the disease stands for. Most people never get the chance to practice or carry out their marriage vows, at least not this early on in life. We understand what it about to stand by someone for better or worse, in sickness and in health, and for that we are Thankful.

So today be Thankful for everything that life has given you no matter how good or bad. Life has a funny way of making you Thankful for even the most devastating and life-changing events … and for that, we are Thankful.

Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases ………

How to make an M.D. ........

Having a day job as an academic advisor to premed students gives me a little insight into the psyche of a potential M.D. candidate in the making. The most common thing I hear from students, is that 'they were born to be doctors.' I hate to break it to pre-med students but becoming a doctor is not like being born into a family business. Doctors train for years and years to hone their craft to see patients. Becoming a doctor is also an on-going academic endeavor that requires total commitment and dedication of putting someone else needs in front of your own. So I hate to break it to premed students but the only thing you were born to do was eat, sleep and poop!!!

So what does it take to become a well respected M.D.? Finding a doctor that fits your needs and the needs of your family is no small task. Here are a few things to know about the medical and academic training associated with your doctors name.

When it comes to finding a doctor, it is good to know the terminology that comes along with the person who is about to care for your medical needs. Not all doctors have everything in common when it comes to their specialties or years of training but a lot of their schooling is the same. A doctor that takes care of cancer patients is called an oncologist. Not all general oncologists are specialized in every area of cancer treatment. When it comes to rare diseases, some general oncologists may go their entire medical career and not see a case.

All physician have at least an undergraduate degree from an accredited university, have taken all of the prerequisite courses needed to apply to medical school (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Math) and completed the MCAT's. All doctors have also gone through the medical school screening process of applying to the schools of their choice, sending in letters of recommendation, transcripts, resumes and a personal interview process held on the medical campus of their choice.

After those 4 years of medical school, all medical school students receive their M.D. (Medical Doctorate) and also have to complete a residency that lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 years of postgraduate education and training. Physicians also must pass a licensing exam to practice in their state. Each state or territory also has their own procedures and general licensing exams for physicians to complete.

Dependent on the specialty area the physician would like to practice will also depend on how many years further of schooling and training will be needed. For example, to become a board certified medical oncologist and hematologist (the treatment of malignancies of the blood and blood-forming tissues) a physician needs to complete the mandatory additional education and training in the dual sub-specialty of medical oncology and hematology. Oncologists must also be board certified by The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), www.abim.org. But this is just one example of one type of oncologist. There are many other specialties and numerous other board certifications that need to be completed in other areas of oncology.

To learn more about your doctors specific certifications, please check out The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, www.abog.org; The American Board of Pediatrics, www.abp.org; The American Board of Radiology, www.theabr.org; and The American Board of Sugery, www.absurgery.org. All physicians must also maintain their certifications on a regular basis by re-examination on a state and speciality level.

Becoming informed and armed with the background education needed to find the correct physician for your medical needs, will make the process of finding the right doctor for you a less stressful endeavor. Never feel embarrassed to ask your physician about their background, their medical training or their certifications. Any trustworthy physician will gladly share this information with you to help put your mind at ease. Also remember to Google your doctors name and come prepared to your appointment if you have questions about their training or skill sets. Knowledge is power and remember to use your voice.



Raising awareness for rare diseases .......

What's in a name?

To even be classified in the rare disease category, the disease can only have effected less than 200,000 patients. Defined by NIH, rare diseases are "life-threatening or chronically debilitating diseases which are of such low prevalence that special combined efforts are needed to address them." In total there are about 6,800 rare diseases that affect about 25 million to 30 million Americans in total.

In the world today, there are only about 50,000 cases of patients who are living with a Sarcoma related cancer. Of that population, about 12,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and about 5,000 patients lose their battle each year as well.

A Sarcoma is a rare cancer in adults (1% of all adult cancers), but rather prevalent in children (about 15% of all childhood cancers). It is made up of many “subtypes” because it can arise from a variety of tissue structures (nerves, muscles, joints, bone, fat, blood vessels - these are collectively referred to as the body’s “connective tissues”). Because these tissues are found everywhere on the body, sarcomas can arise anywhere. Thus within each type of the “popular” cancers, there is the occasional surprise for the medical pathologists (e.g., breast sarcoma, stomach sarcoma, lung sarcoma, ovarian sarcoma, etc.). But the most frequent location are the limbs, since this is where the majority of the body’s connective tissue resides. It is often hidden deep in the body, so is often diagnosed when it has gotten too large to enable a hope of cure.

Researchers have made considerable progress in recent years in figuring out ways to diagnose, treat and even prevent a variety of rare diseases. Still, much more remains to be done because there are no treatments for the vast majority of rare diseases.

The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 provides incentives for drug companies to develop treatments for rare diseases. In the 25 years since the Act was signed into federal law, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved more than 340 treatments for rare diseases.

Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a new effort, called the Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) program, to create an integrated research pipeline to jump start the development of new treatments for rare and neglected disorders. The NIH Office of Rare Diseases Research (ORDR) handles oversight and governance of TRND. The laboratory work for TRND will be performed in a facility administered by the intramural program of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

To provide patients and their families with timely and reliable information, ORDR and NHGRI have created the online Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center. GARD offers a searchable, frequently updated Web site located at: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD. Users can also contact GARD's information specialists directly by e-mail, telephone, FAX, TTY or postal mail.

In addition to GARD, there are many non-profit groups that provide information and support, promote research and advocate for policy issues related to various rare diseases. Among the groups that span a broad range of disorders are the National Organization for Rare Diseases, http://www.rarediseases.org, and the Genetic Alliance, http://www.geneticalliance.org.

Also, Uplifting Athletes, http://www.upliftingathletes.org/, partners with collegiate football teams raising awareness through outreach, research, education and advocacy for rare diseases.

To learn more about specific rare diseases, please check out the National Institutes of Health, Office of Rare Disease Research, http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/Default.aspx.


Raising Awareness for Rare Diseases .......

Abnormal is the new black ....

Initially I started this blog to help our friends and family members track Andrew's progress through his year-long cancer treatment. But more recently I have been receiving phone calls and emails from friends and family members about their own life-changing medical experiences, that I thought I would broaden my topics to help my loyal audience understand how we managed Andrew's overall care, health and well-being and our own sanity throughout this ordeal. And how we continue to deal with issues as they arise on a daily basis ... here is our story.


As much as I think our married life is 'normal', I have come to realize that my perception of what is 'normal' may be a little off base. About 2 months ago I started a new job at a university in the Northern Virginia Area. Meeting new colleagues and learning a new routine has its' own challenges but trying to explain why I have not been working for the past 10 months, and that I didn't have a baby and wasn't laid off by the economy or the recession, has left me to question about the normalcy of our past year.
Anyone who has gone through a major life-changing experience can relate to the awkwardness that occurs when colleagues ask, "So what were you doing before you came here?" Any normal, warm blooded mammal would want to respond honestly, that is of course your first reaction, but not all recipients of the answer can handle the truth. I have been delicately walking the line between the truth, 'I have been taking care of my husband who was battling cancer for the past year'; and a canned less truthful answer, 'I was at another university and then took some time off for the past year to deal with personal matters.' No matter which answer I give, eyebrows raise and in most cases curious questions follow. Saying that you have been away from work on personal matters usually gives people the impression that you, personally, were locked up in a padded room, for some time ,and only given foods that could be eaten with a spoon while rocking back and forth humming to yourself .... Kinda think about it, maybe I should have chosen that option this past year!! But using the C word ... Cancer ... always makes people stop in their tracks. When I say cancer, I can see people's reaction. They tense up and give me that 'deer in heads lights' look so commonly associated with the shock of hearing that someone Andrew's age was struck by this disease. And usually after the initial shock leaves their body, a wave of pity follows with a follow-up question of, "So is he ok now?" I find myself laughing at that question now and one day I'm going to be brave enough to answer back, "That depends what your definition of ok is? If your definition is that we live our life every 3 months to 3 months just waiting to see if his most recent scans are clear from cancer or if it has reoccurred and wondering what we will do next if it has ... then yes, he's just fine!!" But my normal response is, "yes, he's fine."
For most people, it is hard to fully grasp the concept that someone who seems very healthy on the outside, actually has cancer on the inside. Something that I've learned first hand is that cancer does not care who you are, how much money you have, if you are a good person or not, or if you can handle the disease. It can strike at any time and without warning. And no one is immune to its deadly path of fury.
So here are a few things to remember when someone tells you that there life, loved one, or themselves is or has been affected by cancer:

1. Be supportive, but not intrusive. Ask if you make dinner; take the kids for an afternoon; drive them to an appointment; do the laundry or clean the house. Name specific things you would be happy to do instead of putting the 'ball in their court' to call when they need something.

2. Even if you are upset to hear the news, be respectful of others feelings too. It is hard enough for some people to say they have cancer without having to console you.

3. Listen without always needing to respond or add your own personal story to the conversation. Cancer patients and their caretakers sometimes need to vent their fears and frustrations without judgment or comment.

4. Treat the person affected by cancer as normal as possible. No one wants to be treated like they are sick all the time, so allow the patient to back-out of plans only if they want to.

5. Don't be afraid to talk about the illness but don't always make it the topic of conversation. Being inquisitive and concerned is natural but being overbearing can become a burden.

6. Be honest with the person who has cancer if you cannot handle hearing about their disease. Not everyone can bear to see and hear about the patient for their own personal reasons, but being honest upfront is always the best policy. In that case, sending cards or emails is a great way to show you care.


No matter what, always be mindful of what the cancer patient and their families wishes may be but always be supportive in any way possible. Cancer does not always have to mean the worst and with new research being discovered every day, maybe one day soon, we will see a cure for this senseless disease.


Raising awareness for Rare Diseases ....

Raising awareness for rare diseases ....

Today begins my own personal journey of writing more blogs, less about mine and Andrew's personal day-to-day activities and more about the broad topics that we have encountered over his year of treatment. I get calls all the time from friends and family members who are dealing with their own life-changing medical events and they ask how to find the right doctor; keep up-to-date on the latest medical articles; organize their medical records; and how to deal with insurance. This is a good time for me to write about how I made it through this time, kept my sanity (which is obviously up for debate most days) and came out the other end with a smile. I am aware that not all life-changing events turn out with a positive outcome like ours, and I will touch on more sensitive topics as well.
I look forward to receiving feedback from my loyal followers and hearing about questions you would like answers. And as always, thank you for your love and support.

Raising awareness for rare diseases ......
xoxo,
Amy

Lot of updates

Well Hello Hello loyal followers,

There is lots and lots to report on in our lives. Since finishing treatment, Andrew has returned to work full time and is thriving. He had his first follow-up scan which showed a small 7 mm. mass on his right psoas muscle (the muscle that connects from your outer hip to your backbone). There is no sign of re-occurrence in the primary spot of his tumor, his left hip, but this small mass is something the doctors will continue to follow and keep up to date on. He has had one scan since the first initial scan and the mass has not changed size ... so we are on a watch and wait approach up to this point. Of course, this makes everyone a little nervous but we just try and go forward every day and live for what comes ... and not for what comes next.
We also switched doctors again to Dr. Staddon at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. Dr. Staddon has proven to be the voice of reason and the positive energy that helps to make our medical treatment family complete. We look forward to our interaction with him in the future. He is also the doctor who treated Mark Hertzlich's, the Boston College Football player with the same disease.
In many ways Andrew has returned to his old self. He has regrown his hair and now has a beard and bushy eyebrows to match!! We are both also enjoying attending as many PSU football games as possible and look forward to this weekends game against Northwestern and JoPa's 400th win!!
I recently returned to work .... which is still questionable and under review. Stay turned for that!! I liked being a stay at home dogie mommy better. And Winston is enjoying his normal routine of sleeping, eating and sleeping some more!!
Andrew and I continue to be grateful to our friends and family members who have stood by us through this most difficult time in our lives. We are better and stronger people for your every present support.
We also want to report that we have collect 522 books and many many magazines for our Book Nook Drive for the Reston Hospital Infusion Center. If anyone is interested in donating any more books or magazines, please feel free to let me know (by email or phone or facebook) and we would be happy to make arrangements to pick them up from you. We are looking forward to getting the bookshelves in place for the patients and their families to enjoy.

Stay warm ......

Cradle Robber Island

I am continually amazed by the human body and its many capacities to heal. They say that time heals all wounds; emotional and physical. Someone meeting Andrew today, less than 2 months after his last chemo treatment, would never be able to tell the tale he endured this past year. His hair has returned to his face, in all forms, and he was even kind enough to shave it before we left for our trip to Bermuda. As you can see from the picture he was more overjoyed than ever to shave. Needless to say I vetoed Juan Valdez's attempt to try and leave the country in the body of Andrew Waxman ..... good move on my part, but it was a good laugh for Linda, Pete and I.

But it's good that we can still laugh after the year that we've had. I'm also very happy to report that Andrew did participate in the Virginia Bar exam at the end of July. (he will not find out the results till mid-Oct.) And I'm also happy to report that our marriage survived the study process!! Andrew's firm was generous enough to give him about 4 weeks off to solely concentrate on his studies .... however no one told me it would solely be in our office at our house. If anyone would have asked me last year what my worst quality was, I would have said patience. But not after balancing this past month with Andrew in the house 24/7!! Though this past year was very trying, I found the time that Andrew was at home studying to be the hardest.... the uphill battle before the big reward ......

PARADISE!!!!! Finally, we made it to Bermuda ... aka, Cradle Robbers Island!!! In all the places that we've been, Bermuda was by far our favorite place to visit. It was beautiful, clean, safe, warm and windy and all class. And thank goodness for my sanity .... anyone who has even flown with Andrew can sympathize ..... is only a 2 hour flight from DC. We stayed at the Elbow Beach Resort and the picture above is the view from our bungalow lanai. What a view to wake up to every morning. We enjoyed our time relaxing on the beach, reading our books, shopping in the town of Hamilton and drinking lots and lots of frozen drinks at the bar!!! It was just what the doctor ordered. We also spent many hours on the beach people watching .... particularly at the 60-something year old men who were frolicking with their 20-something year old playmates!! Hugh Heffner would have been proud at the all-out cradle robbing taking place on the island. And it was a constant source of entertainment for us ... and with Andrew always looking older than me, with his dark hair and heavy beard ... he always received a wink-and a nod from the men who thought he was part of their club!! Andrew and I are determined to return with the entire family one day to Paradise!!!

But since returning to reality, life has returned to normal. About a week ago, Andrew had the port in his chest removed successfully. The last reminder of the year that changed our lives in so many ways. And yes, he did convince the doctor to give him the actual port that they removed as a souvenir.

Andrew has also returned to work which is great for me. I love my husband, but like carbs and sugar, in moderation!!! Just kidding ..... but I give couples credit who can own businesses together and see each other 24/7/365!!

We are also preparing for Andrew's first 3-month appointment with his new doctor, Dr. Wexler, at Sloan-Kettering in NY next Thursday. This week he had an MRI, PET Scan and Echo and we look forward to discussing what we understand is good news about the reports from the scans.

The next step for Andrew is to continue with his weight loss and exercise plan. The weight is falling off nicely ... which makes everyone, especially his doctors happy!! We are also eagerly looking forward to PSU football season and the 3 weddings we have this fall. It's nice to be able to plan for the future!!

And as for me .... I'm still at home and trying to plan my own future. After this year, I feel like the skies the limit ..... stay tuned!!

And as I sit in my new family room, unable to sleep because of the sinus infection I contracted on the plane ride home from vacation, I'm excited to see what the future holds for us. We have a new outcome on life, a good reason to smile everyday and a new house to do it all in .... well not a new house, but thanks to Big Pete, a remodeled one. While we were jet setting off around the world, Pete and Linda spent about 2 weeks at our house babysitting Winston and putting new hardwood and tile floors in our house ..... and we can't thank them enough for their patience with Winston and their love for doing this for us.

And for the first time in a while, we feel hopeful for the future; live for the present; and are thankful for the outcome of the past!!

Thank you to everyone for your love, thoughts and prayers ........

Crossing the finish line .......

Standing at the starting gates over a year ago, today seemed like such an impossible accomplishment. Like everything Andrew has tackled in his life, cancer was just another obstacles to overcome.... and in grand style, I am happy to report that he has done it!!!! Today is the last day. No more chemo, radiation, injections, weekly blood tests, doctors appointments, hospital visits, infusion center visits, hydration .... he is now trading all of this in to study for the bar and enjoy the rest of his life!!!

But like every milestone in life, it comes with its bittersweet moments as well. We will miss our time with the wonderful nurses at the Reston Infusion Center who so kindly had a heartfelt card and muffins ready for Andrew when he arrived this morning celebrating his release from treatment. Their loving care, kindness and attentiveness to Andrew while he was a patient in their care is something that cannot be matched. We will forever be grateful for their friendship during this time in our lives.

We will also miss our weekly visits with Dr. Felice, Emily, Donna and Mike .... however they may not miss all of our phone calls and questions!!!

Andrew and I would also like to report that he had a scan last Friday and after speaking with the doctor we have learned that there is no sign of cancer, just a little inflammation, probably from the radiation, but we will be consulting with a doctor next week to make sure that there is nothing we can do to help the inflammation decrease. But the important thing is that the CANCER IS GONE!!!!!

And even though Andrew has been waiting for this day for a very very long time, he also has a bit of concern in his voice today too. After today it is up to his body to keep the cancer from coming back. No more chemo and radiation to aid him in the fight against any cancer from reoccurring and with good reason, he is worried. But I'm sure the further and further he gets from today, the better his nerves will get and the stronger and stronger he will become. Getting back to normal, regrowing hair, working out and maintaining a normal routine will help him as well.

So as I sign off on what is one of the most exciting days of our life, we are excited for what's next .... after the bar exam of course (b/c of course all of you know, I have a little bear on my hands right now ... GGGRRRRR)!!!! And we thank all of you for everything!!!

..... is Andrew, CANCER FREE ...... and the crowd goes wild!!!!!!

My week in 3 words ..Good Morning America

Dear All, Please watch Good Morning America on Saturday morning at the end of the broadcast to see if Andrew makes the cut and his video is chosen for "My Week in 3 Words." Below is the video that I submitted for GMA!!!

A look back and the journey ahead ...

Through this experience we've realized a lot about ourselves inside and out. That the outward appearance of someone doesn't explain what's happening on on the inside .... and vice versa. I'm continually impressed with Andrew and his own bodies recovery mechanisms. Andrew has yet to be hospitalized for infection, fever or for a blood transfusion. His body has taken the chemo and radiation so well that even his own doctor is questioning his many years of training and experience. Though Andrew and I would like to take all of the credit for his multiracial recovery from each and every treatment, we cannot help but thank the many many people who continued to send cards, emails, facebook messages, flowers, phone calls and of course your everlasting thoughts and prayers.

As we enter the last week before his final chemo treatment on June 21, it's hard to believe that one year has pasted since finding out about his dreaded disease. The emotional ups and downs, continual doctors visits and hospital stays could not have been tolerated without the help and support of our friends and family who stepped up to the plate without hesitation.... and for that we are forever great full.

Until recently I had not fully realized the effect that the blog and my entries had on our friends and family who read them. I promise to continue to keep the blog going even after the treatments have ended. After the treatment, Andrew will continue to have monthly chest X-rays for a year and MRI's every 3-months for 3 years and then every 6-months after that for 2 more years. At the 5-year mark, the follow-up will move to just once a year. We look forward to the 5-year mark and what may come .....

As for Andrew, he is continuing to study for the bar exam and Winston and I try to stay out of the way. 63 rounds of chemo and 33 sessions of radiation never set his nerves in such a frenzy as does the rigor of studying law. And to make matters worse (for me) he will begin his time off from work on July 5 until the bar exam on July 27 and 28 ..... in case you are counting (like me) that's 3 weeks, 24 hours a day 7 days a week .... with Andrew in the house..... it makes treatment look like a cake walk. But like everything, we will make it through with flying colors and ease. And at least at the end we can look forward to a much needed vacation in Bermuda in August. Andrew also looks forward to getting back into shape and ready for football and wedding season for us in the fall.

Through it all, we have always tried to look to the future and live in the moment. If we have learned anything about this year, we have taken it from it that life is about enjoying what you have and not waiting until tomorrow to do what you can today.... and we can't wait to see what we do!!!

"When it comes to the future there are three kinds of people;those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened." John M. Richardson, Jr.

And then there was one!!

Never in my right mind did I ever think that I would be able to say that Andrew has only ONE more chemo treatment left on June 21st. He just completed a treatment today and is already in bed recovering from his long day. But with that said, he is still feeling pretty good all things considered. I think what is getting him through right now is that his birthday gift is arriving next week ... that's right, I broke down and bought him an IPad. I have no idea what they really do, but his smile from ear to ear gave me the distinct impression that he will know exactly what to do with it when it arrives next week. (The picture is from his birthday last Wednesday. I made him a birthday smoothy with a candle.)

With life beginning to return to normal, so are the activities that we are starting in incorporate back into our lives. This past weekend, we had a wonderful time 'summering' at Lynn and Pete's house in Uniontown. Pete recently sprung for a new addition to the house, a hot tub for 8!!! You know you're a redneck, when you buy a hot tub and set it up at the end of your driveway so that its easy to remove when you are done with it. I mean how many people can say that they can back their car up to their hot tub and tailgate at the same time they are relaxing in their 'pool.' Which brings me to .... you know you're a red neck when you call it a 'pool' .... dad!!!! But it was a wonderful and relaxing visit full of family, friends and Freddie and Muts too!!!

Andrew and I are also very excited to report that we have planned a much needed vacation in August, after the bar and chemo to Bermuda!!! I myself have already packed and printed our boarding passes ... warm weather and pink sand ... and little drinks with umbrellas, here we come!!! And Winston will be going on a little vaca too to Nana and Pap Pap Bozick's house for the week ... he loves it there!!! Full of shitting up Nana's new living room furniture and pooping all over Pap Pap's lawn so that he steps in it on his morning walks (most things Winston do have to do with shit or poop!!! haha) ... it is sure to be a fun week had by all!!!

With 62 chemo treatments now under his belt, Andrew is of course ready for his to all be over but we just take each day as it comes. One day at a time, one foot in front of the other. June is a month I never thought would come .... and here it is. We cannot wait for everything to be over. Andrew will be having one more MRI at the end of June and then his first base-line scan in August after we return from our vacation. But between now and then, Andrew must complete the rest of his chemo and hydration treatments and study for and take the bar ... so you know, nothing big!! Just kidding. Remember to keep him in your thoughts as he continues to do well with treatment and now that he passes the bar.

One is the loneliest number .... but the only one better is zero!!!

61 down and 2 to go!!

No matter how you look at it, life is full of milestones. Learning to crawl, walk; obtaining your drivers licence; graduating from high school ... and then college (and grad/law school too, dad!!!); getting married, turning 30 ... and on and on and on!!! Through my life, I've set goals based on my age, education level and according to those peers around me. But after reaching my most recent milestone of 30 .... I've decided to take another approach to my traditional plans. After a great deal of soul searching and discussion, I decided to leave my position at Georgetown University to not only take care of Andrew but to also work on pursuing my own hopes and dreams .... so my new plans are to be just be open minded and try not to let fear hold me back.

Andrew is also coming up on a few huge milestones in his own life .. and let me tell you, I cannot wait for them to come. For the past week and a half, I've had to hear that he is still in his 20's and I'm not anymore. The words 'robbing that cradle' have been used more than once when describing our relationship. But May 26 is the big D-Day ... I mean B-Day for him too!!! Thirty is not so bad, or at least that's what I'm telling myself for now. This year is going to be different for Andrew. The hope is that he will be in remissions soon and able to return to the things that he loves most. His most recent milestone, finally finishing his last 5-day outpatient treatment, gives me great hope that life returning to normal is soon to follow.

After an exhausting week last week, Andrew finally made it through what was definitely his most challenging 5-day outpatient treatment. To date, Andrew has had 61 rounds chemotherapy and 33 rounds of radiation. With only two, 1-day treatments on June 1 and June 21 to go, I'm sure you can all understand that the anticipation is almost to much to take. Regaining so assemblance of normalcy is going to be a big adjustment from the 'firefighter approach' (ready to attack at any given moment) we've been taking for the past year.

And speaking of the past year, today is actually the anniversary of our first doctors appointment with our oncologist, Dr. Felice. Andrew wasn't diagnosed until June, but today was the day we found out something was wrong.

All in all Andrew is doing great. He continues to go to work as much as he can and has now begun to start studying to take the Virginia Bar exam at the end of July (see him studying at chemo in the picture above). His bar review class begins next week and is actually a nice destraction from chemo ... but I mean what isn't at this point in his life.

We have also decided to take our health very seriously from now on and we will both be starting P90X very soon (me probably sooner than him) with the help of our wonderful consultant Liz Wildes, who was a classmate of mine from high school. If anyone else is interested in doing it with us, sign up with Liz and take charge of your health too https://teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/free/43419

So as we travel down these last few weeks of treatment, we cannot help but thank everyone who has come on this journey with us. We feel very loved and cared for by everyone who reads our blog, sends us cards and messages and prays for Andrew's speedy recovery every day. We hope that all of you will continue to support all cancer efforts taking place all over the country and will continue to support all of the efforts and Andrew and I cannot wait to embark upon so that no family has to go through what we have had to endure over this past year.

Early detection and gene therapy save lives!!!

Health Care Survival Guide

I take for granite the fact that not everyone is as keenly in tune and aware of their own health insurance benefits as Andrew and I have become over the past year. Not a day goes by where the Post or the Times are not covering some sort of political matter on the happenings of the new Obama health initiative and its overall ramifications over our personal health coverage. Health care is not a given for all people in this country yet those who do hold the 'golden ticket' do not always understand, ask questions or even challenge the authority of the health care industry so that they too can better comprehend their own personal health care coverages.

Knowing the in's and out's of your own health care plan should be a mandatory priority of each 'ticket holding' individual in this country. It should be no different than knowing your address or phone number. Relying on the health care providers to actually 'provide' you with the answers in a timely matter is sometimes too late. You wouldn't prepare for a meeting the day after it happened, so why would you call to better understand your coverage after the procedure was preformed.

So here are some tips to help you better navigate through the mountain of documents that make up your health care coverage and how to make sure your own doctors are using only those labs that take your health care .... and what to do when they don't .....

1. Reading the pages upon pages of your office's health care plan may put your head into a tail spin and the sheer volume of literature may turn you off from ever wanting to learn more ... instead of giving up, find out who in your own office is the Health Care Benefits representative. It may be your HR rep or someone in a high position. But also remember to find out who that person reports to. For example, if you work at a branch office, then find out who at the national headquarters is the main benefits rep or if you work at a university, who in in charge of wellness and benefits and write that persons name down.

2. Once you have narrowed down who that person is, ask to set up a meeting with them or to have lunch to talk about your health benefits plan. And don't forget to ask if your significant other can attend the meeting too. If you have a joint health care plan, like Andrew and I do, make sure that both parties involved understand the perimeters of the plan.

3. And don't forget about the website. Every health insurance company have a website. It usually just takes a few minutes to set up your account and you can access what doctors are in your plan and what phone numbers to contact in case of an emergency in minutes. These sites can also help track any contested health insurance claims. They are very helpful especially when you are doing research on your own. They can help to answer both simple and hard questions alike.

4. Take notes and ask questions ..... You may not have anything wrong with you now and you may only go to the doctor once a year for a check-up but ask questions for the future. If my wife gets pregnant or what if the baby has complications? or if we get into an accident and I need to take time off work? Find out how your companies handles those bumps in the road before they happen. The problems themselves are 'shock and awe' enough ... finding out that you now have to deal with the health insurance company to find out and fight for your rights can put a strain on you and undue pressures on your already delicate situation.

5. Make sure the doctors you already see are covered under your health insurance plan. You would be amazed at what doctors do and don't take. Do a self check-up for yourself before scheduling any appointments or scans. It usually just takes a check to the insurance companies website and a call to the doctors office itself to make sure that everything is covered.

6. Also remember to check up on what the co-pay for each appointment will be. For instance, with us, a normal doctors appointment is $20, but to see any sort of specialist is $30 to $50. Know what it is going to cost before you go. Hidden fees are the worst. Ask the receptionist taking your appointment what it will cost and check the front of your insurance card to verify the amount. If you are still concerned, call the toll-free number on your card and talk to your benefits representative about how payments for your coverage works. It's better to know now, then pay later. And with that in mind, know what your maximum coverages are for a year ... and for a lifetime. They may seem high and out of reach, but you would be surprised how much hospital visits, doctors visits and tests can add up quickly. Also remember to keep a check regularly so you always know where you stand.

7. As for scans or scheduled tests that your doctor may recommend, always make sure that these procedures are performed at a facility that takes your insurance. You will always be safe if you have anything done within a hospital that takes your insurance, but if you are having something done at for example an MRI center or CT center, always to a check yourself to make sure they take your insurance. Just pick up the phone and call and ask. It only takes a minute but can save you a lot of headaches in the end if you either show up and find out you cannot have the procedure done or that you need to reschedule with another place. Also remind the receptionist at your doctors office which insurance you have before they schedule the scan for you. They see so many patients a day, it is easy to mix them up. I always wait while the scans are being scheduled so I can overhear the scheduling and make sure the right information is being presented.

8. Speak up .... and use your voice!! Question everyone. Doctors offices may do these things hundreds of times a day, but you don't!! Remind them of that. Don't let anyone talk down to you or fluff off your questions ... and make sure they know that. Ask how they will bill and code your procedure and what to do or who to call in their office if it is not coded or billed correctly. Meet that person if possible so they can put a face to the name when you call. And if you are anything like me, they won't forget your face .. or your name ... and will probably be fearful if you call and ask for them ... I keep everyone on their toes and accountable for their actions. But everyone makes mistakes and when you are working with coding numbers they are easy to transpose ... and then you get a huge bill.

9. Leading me to my favorite saying ... if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck ...then its probably a duck. What I mean is that if you have health care coverage and you receive this astronomical bill in the mail ... there is probably something wrong, especially if you checked off all of the above steps before proceeding with the procedure. But don't panic .... be calm and make some calls. Start off with your doctors office. This is where investigative journalism comes in handy. Speak to the coder and find out what numbers they used to code ... then call the insurance company and find out what those specific numbers are not covered under your plan. It may be that they now use a new set of numbers that your doctor may not know about and all that has to be done is that the claim just needs to be resubmitted. Easy!! But if there is a bigger problem, get the name of the person and the direct number at the insurance company hot line that you just called, call your doctors office and have them talk together, with you on the line, and work this out. Usually your doctors office will know more about the coding system than you. You may also need to contact your office Benefits rep and make them aware of the issue. They may be able to step in and correct the problem as well. Just remember to speak up .... and question your bills... because if you pay the bill without contesting it, you will never see that money again.

This is not a perfect system but at least I hope it gets everyone thinking about their own health and health insurance plan. Andrew and I had never given our personal coverage a second thought until a year ago when we had to learn some things the hard way. You don't have anything if you don't have your health .... so take it seriously!!!

Stay tuned!!!!

Stuck in the middle with you

It's Wednesday ... the middle of the week and the end of this cycle of treatment. One day of chemo and 2 days of hydration ... Done!!! Andrew is doing well. A little grumpy but I guess I would be too if I was 60 + pounds overweight and having toxins put into my body every 21 days. But besides the moody monster rearing his ugly head today ... Andrew is doing very well.

I have also decided to rename my blog today ... The Diary of the Cancer Patient's Wife!! I think it has a catchy and true title. Maybe one day I'll be able to name a book by the same name as well. Time will tell with that one.

Happy Hump Day ........

And another one bites the dust ....

Andrew has another chemo session under his belt. This one-day session went very well. It was the usual draining day for both of us ... but mostly for him. Andrew also went to hydration today and will also go tomorrow as well. But we just keep to the routine .... eat, sleep, hydrate..cancer!! As you can tell I'm reading, Eat,Pray,Love; right now. I'm fascinated with anyone who can give up a year of their life and do anything ..... oh wait, that's us!! A year of our life given up not to travel around the world and explore new cultures, ideas and languages; but a year given up to learn methods of how to keep Andrew's spirits high and how to beat cancer. And to be fair I guess we have learned a new language but not the traditional ones you are thinking of .... we learned Doctoresee!! Yes the language of doctors. It's a strange and complicated tongue where you have to deceiver whether you are going to live or die by the big words they speak!! So I guess we got a little bit of an education this year.

We also had a great weekend with Linda and Pete, planting new flowers and shrubs; cleaning the shed; and organizing the basement. We even fit in dinner out on Saturday evening and lunch in Winchester with Aunt Melissa, Uncle Ed and Kaylan. What a great weekend.

But besides that life is going well. Andrew continues to work; Winston continues to sleep; and I keep it all together by cooking, cleaning, doing the laundry and all that jazz.

Spread the sunshine ........

L.B.S.

So I've decided that supermodels were put on this earth to make us mere mortals feel less and less adequate the older we get. It's been a good run for me so far but as the days in April tick by, I am coming closer and closer to loosing the number 2 in from of age and having to replace it with a .... swallow hard .... 3!!! Andrew and I are both approaching the Big 3-0!! He is of course excited to tackle his 30's with a new vigor and lease on life where I on the other hand just want to curl up in the fetal position under my desk with a fifth of whatever and cry knowing that my best years are behind me. It's truly unfair the older I get. As a man, it's cute getting old. Everyone thinks your gray hair adds distinction and no ones comments on your extra roles around your mid-section. It's even cute to be a dirty old man and hit on young co-ed's. People just laugh. But as a women, it's now time to rev-up the treadmill to an incline of 5 and push ourselves to run that extra mile and resist that donut. I minute on the lips ... forever on the hips. And as for those gray hairs, don't get me started on that ... talk about showing your age.

Leading me to the new realization of what the scale is really saying these days. It used to say, "O well you gained a few pounds, but guess what it's LBS ... Little Bikini season!!!" Now as I hit the scale at 30 .... it says "you've gained a few pounds ...and LBS stands for, Lazy Bones Syndrome." Even the scale is mocking my age these days. The battle of the bulge is the definitely hardest part of this birthday. I used to be able to run and lift and see an immediate result, boosting my confidence ... but now all I want to do is eat rice-crispy treats (since they are gluten free) and watch teen movies with the dog instead of working out and not seeing that instant ab-line.

Speaking of the dog ... in my next life, I want to come back as a bulldog. Talk about the life. Sleeps all day ... and everyone thinks his fat roles and pudgy cheeks are adorable and the slower he moves the cuter and more lovable he becomes.

So if anyone is looking for a good birthday present for me, I'll take the number of a fantastic plastic surgeon in the McLean area, a session of botox, a box of hair dye, a one-piece bathing suit and matching cover-up and all of the mirrors in my house raised to above shoulder level!!! I am also counting on the new hot tub that my parents just bought to be one of those hot tub time-machines so I can go back to 1996 ... sweet sixteen!!! Not that I want to go back to being 16 ... but I want to go back and tell myself to work out really really hard and truly enjoy my washboard abs and perky backside ... because before you know it it's which night cream will get rid of this damn wrinkle that just appeared under my left eye and 50 SPF to save any chance of getting even older, if that's possible.

But as for Andrew, he's looking forward to his 30's ... hopefully I'll be able to get on that bandwagon .. or fall off, depending on how much of that fifth he lets me have!!!

So allow me to make a toast to all of my friends who are also in this boat with me ... you know who you are ... you '79 and '80's babies.

(please raise your shot of Jose Cuervo)

Let's raise our glasses one last time,

And toast to the last twenty-nine.

May the next 30 bring us great joy,

and if not then a mid-life crisis and a garage full of toys.

Let's raise our glasses one last time,

and not put them down 'till we run out of salt and lime.

Bottoms up!!!