Raymond, I was glad to receive your personal email. I am pleased that you reached out to me. I want to be as helpful as I can be in getting you through this difficult time.

I want to urge you to also continue to post on the forum, since there is so much caring support here, even if someone doesn't have the exact same problem. Also, since I didn't have to have rad. or chemo., you might need to hear from some others here who have that experience.

You mentioned in your email that you will have a PET/CT today. How about posting your results so that we'll know what you are facing.

Continue to email me for specifics if you like. I wish I had had someone who knew something about what I was facing, and I would be honored to be that person for you.

Do you have family around you? I sure do hope so. Children? If so, I know that you are concerned about them. Children are quite resilient, and they will learn compassion and will step to the plate in surprising ways. You all will grow from this experience.

There are blessings in all of this strife. You might not realize that until a bit farther down the road, but they are there. Would I have wanted to have cancer to realize those blessings? No, of course not, but I am humbled and uplifted by the blessings of friendship and prayer and concern shown to me by others. I hope that you can feel that support coming your way too.

I look forward to hearing about your scan report.