June 20^th                                                              Willie Mays Day               

Knocked another one off today….I’m feeling good, but kinda waiting for the other shoe to drop. My brothers in arms, the fellas on the other side of this, have all cautioned that the first 10 days are do-able, you are wondering what the fuss is about. None of them had the Erbitux treatments that I am enduring each Monday, though.

This is a “monoclonal antibody therapy.” It goes in my port, same place as the chemo went. This drug identifies receptors on both cancer cells and normal cells. These receptors stick out from the cells. Erbitux then attaches to these receptors and literally blocks the signaling agents from attaching and starting the cell dividing process, where new cancer cells are generated.

 Wild, huh?         

 I have had 3 infusions of this stuff, 4 to go. Side effects are rash and potential acne, but we are all over this  with medications, creams and steroids that aggressively mitigate that. We shall see, won’t we?

I got real red on Tuesday of this week, but it calmed down.  It has only recently been used on throat and neck cancer, having been introduced on colorectal cancer patients initially. I plan on being different, and in the low percentage of patients that get rocked by this drug.    

Thanks to all who sent in numbers. I am now staring at #23 in my garage by the door, and I’m going with Pistol Pete Maravich from LSU as my choice, ignoring the superb Michael Jordan. I will enter the weekend with 21 remaining, which means I will be almost 40% complete, and that is a GOOD number.

 I’m still eating, working, walking Jammer, and going to Sam’s Tournament of Champions baseball games. The Yankees won the Lafayette Little League title, and have beaten Concord in 108 degree weather on Saturday, and North Oakland yesterday over in Alameda. They play again TH and if they win, will play for the East Bay Division 4 championship on Saturday. He is now raking the ball, and in Sam’s words, “I was only a Home Run away from the cycle” on Saturday.

This is an amazing way to cap off a Little League career, and we are eating it up, every minute. The only bummer is I can’t yell at the umps much, but God works his wonders in small and interesting ways.

 Check back soon. I love you all.

TS