Ok, Now you've Done it DANNY BOY!!!!!!

There is no way I can get the thread back on track now that you've posted here!!

I'm just teasing you, and that's dangerous on here, since you can't see me smiling and hugging you while I'm saying these things...

Truth is, I am SO HAPPY To hear from you...I've been lurking in the other rooms trying to find the latest info, and I appreciate your taking the time to weigh in here. We are all rooting for you! I send you warm wishes and lots a positive prayers.

As far as the rest of you...Whew!! I stay off the thread for a few hours, and WHAM-O! You guys post so much great stuff!!

----> Ok, for a quick update: TODAY was my first day of Chemo and Radiation.

I thought of each of you as I was scared, nervous, excited and relieved all at the same time.

Of course, everything went off with out a hitch.

Very compassionate teams here! Very gentle, loving, upbeat and supportive nurses, staff and Dr's.

The fill-in for my regular Med. Oncologist today said some optimistic thoughts, one I liked the most and keep reverberating is:

"There is a very strong chance you are virtually cancer free right now, and what we are doing here is EXTRA EXTRA icing on the cake!!!"

Boy he must know my hot button (took one look at me and he knew that , that hot button of course: FOOD! (especially any kind that involves EXTRA EXTRA ICING! :-)

Anyway, I thought that was nice of him to say.

I discussed with him the meeting I had with a certain chief of scientific research at a certain company making the new drug we are all talking about. I told the new Doc how this person said that I should PUSH HARD for the drug, and that it's my best shot at getting this beast.

The fill-in Dr said they know ALL about it! They were the main site for the studies, and the toxicity to them isn't worth the risk for the particular circumstances. He knows the guy personally and holds him in the VERY highest regard.

I said, well, if I am ever going to use it, I must NOW since it only proves effective when used with radiation and I can only get radiation once...

He said, "Wrong again...We are pioneers in this field too and I can tell you we are experts are re-radiation if it ever comes to that!"

So, I must say, I like his attitude.

I had Chemo starting around 10AM (NY time), and it started actually with 1.5 liters of saline (fluids) an antienmetic(sp?), and a dirruetic (sp?)...then after I measured over 1000 ml in output (urine) they started the actual Cisplatin (I think it was 127 ml, is that right?), Then, that was followed by another bag of saline and I was off to radiation.

Get this, after I walked in to the rad-suite, they escorted me to the elevators and said the Dr want's to see me, handed me my chart and sent me on my way. I finally caught up with her on a different floor, she was in the middle of a simulation for a new patient (esophogeal cancer), and brought me in to a room to examine my throat.

She said she had 'heard' that I had a feeling in my throat and wanted to see it for herself.

You might recall, I posted several days ago that she mentioned it looked weird to her on inspection the first time.

She said: "It looks so much better!...I agree with what Dr. Sh...(the ENT I saw on Weds)..said. In fact it looks MUCH BETTER than when I examined it last time.."

Then she gave me and Seth hugs and said not to worry. She pointed us back in the direction for the start of my rads...FIRST DAY!

The ONLY problem with the session was the fact that I had to pee so bad after ALL the fluids, even after I went several times prior to going on the table. But even then, it was minor and went by smooth and quick.

The team, 2 energetic guys (even at 6:30 PM), explain every step of the way what they are doing, how long each step takes and how long I have left in the mask.

They are careful, intelligent and serious, but also compassionate at the same time.

OK, sorry to give so many kudos on here to people most will not ever even know who they are, much less ever meet them, just thought I'd memorialize my thoughts here for when/if in the future I'm cursing them under my breath

I'm tired now, it's amazing how exhausting sitting in a chair for 5 hours can be..! (By my calculations we should be landing in Paris about now!)...Ohh laa laa! I'm off to find a croissant.