Dear someguyjefff and Hellion,

Please, please do not feel discouraged because John passed. His problems since the end of June were silent aspiration and postural hypotension. Because of the former, he got aspiration pneumonia repeatedly. It was ongoing since July and he had antibiotic after antibiotic to fight it. Then he got a really serious bout which put him in hospital for sixteen days. The clinical trial with selinexor had to be halted because he was feeling so poorly. Then the hospital stay meant that he could not be given capcitabine -- the chemo that he was given after they stopped the selinexor. I believe that gave the tumors a chance to gain the upper hand.

We are fighting a war. John was but one warrior that fell, but there would be others who would move into the fight to keep the war going. Everyone who takes part in a clinical trial, irrespective of the outcome, is adding information and stats to the doctors and researchers' knowledge of the disease. We don't know what is around the corner.

What you can do is to keep in good physical condition. Eat and keep hydrated. If your body is stronger, even when you are suffering from side effects, you will be better equipped to deal with the debilitating effects.

I wish you both well and calmer seas ahead. I have lost my husband but I refuse to say cancer has won. Not yet.