Low and to the right!
That's where my "first pitch" went. So, in spite of lousy weather, the game went on and my big moment came and went. We had a great time though. Before the game, we got a tour of the ballpark, we then went and ate, and then the "festivities" started on the field. They had a number of people who were throwing out "first pitches" (mostly kids) , but waited until the very end to introduce me and have me throw the final one. I brought along a pen to have the player who caught the ball autograph it. Hopefully, he'll be a star someday and it will make my momento of the occasion all more meaningful.
The award that I got was a hat with the New Hampshire champions logo on it. But, truth be told, for what I have done the hat is more than enough along with the whole concept of being able to go out on the field, etc.
The fun was continued further when my 6 year old granddaughter was askd to participate in one of the between inning activites. She ran the bases in a "race" with the team mascot. She had a great time as did we all when we watched her run. She actually got two tickets to a future game as a prize!
Now a change of pace. The American Cancer Society has started a "Create More Birthdays" contest whereby people(artists) submit an item to be voted upon. My wife(Nancy Johnson) has submitted the picture "Toasting Tomorrow" which features three of our granddaughters celebrating at a tea party. Their web site is http://my.morebirthdays.com and the category is "The progress we are making against cancer helps save 350 lives a day". So, I am asking for your support for her efforts and I thank you in advance.
Healthwise, things seem to still be the same. Which is a good thing! You would think that after over two years evrything would kind of stabilize. However, in speaking with other survivors, you find out that graft versus host disease abides by no timeline and can flare up at anytime - even years later!
I'm grateful for where I am...
Bob
June 24, 2011 10:00 AM
Will it happen?
It's raining again today. It rained on Wednesday and Thursday as well. So, will the baseball game go on tonight or not? We'll see. The forecast is still iffy. Anyway, I'll report on all the exciting activities of the evening - the award ceremony, the first pitch, the game,... Or, whatever actually does occur.
We met another patient at the photophoresis center yesterday who had a bone marrow transplant 4 years ago. For at least a year things went very well until graft vs host disease began to set in and she began to get weaker and suffer from some hardening of the skin and muscles. The good news is that the treatment seems to be working for her. It took eight weeks to see any kind of results and she is up to thirteen weeks now.
Why do I mention this? Her situation somewhat mirrors mine and it gives me cause to feel that I can get back to being somewhat close to what I was before - not that I was Arnold Schwarzenegger! All the work that I was doing a year ago around the house would take me much longer to do today - though I could(and would) still do it.
I have another "first connection" call to make. The total continues to mount even though most people seem to be fortunate to get just one opportunity to make such a call. I know that I seem to get more from the calls than what I give so for me it is most certainly a pleasure to make these calls.
Three weeks down and nine more weeks to go of the twice a week photophoresis treatments. The actual treatment is nothing. The travel to and from Boston and the time of day(arising at 5:15) are the sticking points. However, as I've said before: "You do what you have to do."
Gotta go and warm up my pitching arm...
Bob
It's raining again today. It rained on Wednesday and Thursday as well. So, will the baseball game go on tonight or not? We'll see. The forecast is still iffy. Anyway, I'll report on all the exciting activities of the evening - the award ceremony, the first pitch, the game,... Or, whatever actually does occur.
We met another patient at the photophoresis center yesterday who had a bone marrow transplant 4 years ago. For at least a year things went very well until graft vs host disease began to set in and she began to get weaker and suffer from some hardening of the skin and muscles. The good news is that the treatment seems to be working for her. It took eight weeks to see any kind of results and she is up to thirteen weeks now.
Why do I mention this? Her situation somewhat mirrors mine and it gives me cause to feel that I can get back to being somewhat close to what I was before - not that I was Arnold Schwarzenegger! All the work that I was doing a year ago around the house would take me much longer to do today - though I could(and would) still do it.
I have another "first connection" call to make. The total continues to mount even though most people seem to be fortunate to get just one opportunity to make such a call. I know that I seem to get more from the calls than what I give so for me it is most certainly a pleasure to make these calls.
Three weeks down and nine more weeks to go of the twice a week photophoresis treatments. The actual treatment is nothing. The travel to and from Boston and the time of day(arising at 5:15) are the sticking points. However, as I've said before: "You do what you have to do."
Gotta go and warm up my pitching arm...
Bob
June 20, 2011 11:35 PM
Humbled once again!
I just received an e-mail from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society asking if I would be willing to have my picture and story be featured as part of their annual golf tournament this coming September. It is all part of the "Light The Night" fundraising event that they do annually. Specifically, they wish to focus on my participation in the "First Connection" program which has proven to be very successful for them. I still don't feel that I have done that much for them. But, if they feel that my participation will help, I will gladly assist wherever I can.
This Wednesday is our 43rd wedding anniversary. It's hard tobelieve that it has been that many years and it's hard to believe that there was a possibility that I might not have made it. However, the events over the past few years have cemented our relationship all the more which is not so often the case these days. I know of several instances where a cancer diagnosis led to an almost immediate divorce. I am so grateful for all the support that my wife has given to me over the past two and a half years. We all said the words "in sickness or in health" and "for better or worse", but did we actually expect to have to live them? She probably did not! Yet, when the occasion arose, she immediately responded to that commitment without complaint. I cannot say enough about how lucky I have been to have such a woman at my side!
We chose to celebrate the event today because of my need for my photophoresis treatment on Wednesday. We had our first "fun" day in several years for just the two of us by going to the Foxwoods casino. Not that we are big gamblers - for we are not. In fact, it has probably been six years since we were there last. In any case, when all the dust settled, we actually came out a few dollars ahead of the meager budget that we allocated for the day and that included the meals that we ate there as well! So it was a good day; a relaxing day; and, hopefully, the start of our venturing out to do more things as time permits.
As I have said many times, I am so blessed...
Bob
I just received an e-mail from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society asking if I would be willing to have my picture and story be featured as part of their annual golf tournament this coming September. It is all part of the "Light The Night" fundraising event that they do annually. Specifically, they wish to focus on my participation in the "First Connection" program which has proven to be very successful for them. I still don't feel that I have done that much for them. But, if they feel that my participation will help, I will gladly assist wherever I can.
This Wednesday is our 43rd wedding anniversary. It's hard tobelieve that it has been that many years and it's hard to believe that there was a possibility that I might not have made it. However, the events over the past few years have cemented our relationship all the more which is not so often the case these days. I know of several instances where a cancer diagnosis led to an almost immediate divorce. I am so grateful for all the support that my wife has given to me over the past two and a half years. We all said the words "in sickness or in health" and "for better or worse", but did we actually expect to have to live them? She probably did not! Yet, when the occasion arose, she immediately responded to that commitment without complaint. I cannot say enough about how lucky I have been to have such a woman at my side!
We chose to celebrate the event today because of my need for my photophoresis treatment on Wednesday. We had our first "fun" day in several years for just the two of us by going to the Foxwoods casino. Not that we are big gamblers - for we are not. In fact, it has probably been six years since we were there last. In any case, when all the dust settled, we actually came out a few dollars ahead of the meager budget that we allocated for the day and that included the meals that we ate there as well! So it was a good day; a relaxing day; and, hopefully, the start of our venturing out to do more things as time permits.
As I have said many times, I am so blessed...
Bob
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