October 31, 2010 11:55 PM

Halloween!

A day to look at and dispel ghosts, goblins, poltergeists, and other evil spirits. For me, it will always be the day that I was told that I had a less than 50% chance to live!

Two years ago, I made my first visit to Dana-Farber on this day for the doctor to tell me what lie in store for me in the way of treatment. Round one consisted of several rounds of chemotherapy to (hopefully) put my cancer into remission and then a bone marrow transplant that would (again, hopefully) serve asthe knockout punch.

At the conclusion of the visit, I asked the doctor what my chances might be and she said about 35%. At the time, I was feeling fine. This got me a reprieve to go home and enjoy my last weekend before chemo began the following week. The doctor also said that if immediate treatment did not begin I would not feel so well in a few weeks and, if no treatment began, in about six weeks I would not be around. It was hard to fathom that such a decline could occur so fast when I felt fairly healthy. The key word is "felt" for, obviously, I was not very healthy. What an insidious disease that really did not appear to be too debilitating for me and, yet, in a few short weeks could have terminated my life.

Was I afraid? The answer is no. I had faith in the treatment regimen that the doctors were prescribing and I had faith that God would be there every step of the way regardless of the final outcome. To get where I am today, in the manner that I have done so, is way beyond the wildest of my expectations. A little bump here and there but I have nothing to complain about.

My life is very satisfying at this point and I am extremely grateful that I have the opportunity to enjoy this time that I have been granted.

Trick or treat is what we say on this day. No trick for me, I got the treat. Thank you God...

Bob