A Good Bit of Advice, Shipmates

Good morning to you all....

Am recuperating at home for a couple of days after my 2nd of 3 chemotherapy treatments went down on Wednesday, and am doing quite well, actually. With all the medicine that is available out there, and the cancer research technology that comes along, it seems, every 3 months, I feel quite a lucky sailor for the last 16 months fighting this melanoma cancer disease. In many ways shipmate, I am a very lucky man.

And let me tell you why --- it was because of a long sit-down talk with my wonderful wife, Demetria, a few days ago. I was thinking of all the different protocol treatments we have participated in since October 2006 -- the chemo, the biotherapies, the brain radiation, and gamma radiation -- and at this time, our wonderful Navy Oncologist is looking for different ways to keep it going. As long as the treatment STOPS the growth (it may not shrink it for over a few months period....so be patient), then it's a success. Those are the little successes we are experiencing.

Well, to get back to my wife -- I was thinking, on our monthly health check-up with our Oncologist to ask....down and dirty, sir, with all we're doing, how much time do you think I have left? My wife almost tossed me out the kitchen window! I don't know everything, but I know when the time is right to listen to your life partner!

Demetria said: Why do you want to know? Who cares, actually. We are enjoying every single day together, your quality of life is pretty good right now, we have lots to plan for ourselves and with the family for at least the next 4 months..... and you have to get the leaves out of the gutters when spring time comes.

Now that was a slap in the face I truly needed. She's right. Why worry. That is why, whenever we finish a treatment, I email the entire Friends and Family address book with the update -- and then tell them when they call, just want to hear about how your life is going.... and don't forget the family gossip.

I love my wife.

Regards and have a great Navy day, shipmates ---
SKCS Charles (Chuck) Zwierzynski