Today, not the date but the day, is another one-year milestone for me. The Monday after Thanksgiving was the day on which we first met with the Duke researchers last year. After re-reading my entry from last December 1st, the Monday after Thanksgiving ‘08, it has struck me that I could have given an even better description of where my mind was at this point in time last year, although I tried my darnedest to do so at the time. I re-read my entry looking for a one particular quote which I’m sure I uttered on the Monday after Thanksgiving last year. After an exhausting day at Duke, where I was scared about Irinotecan and not quite convinced that ‘taking the torch’ from those before me to ‘pass it along to those that come next’ should be a motivating factor for me, I was dubbed ‘Freshness’ by my family. I was in a horrible mood, on the verge of a huge decision, and upset with what I perceived to be a lack of viable options. Simply put, I didn’t think there was anything at Duke for me, and though we read and re-read the entire protocol that I eventually enrolled in, I went to bed wondering why we weren’t just driving back to Virginia. ”If I’m not going to do anything down here, why are we going to go to the consultation tomorrow?,” I asked, hoping at the time that the answer would be “you’re right, let’s get out of here.” Jessie wanted to stay however, as did my Dad, who was frustrated like I was, but for different reasons. He had expected Duke to be like Oz, where the wonderful wizard Friedman would give us all the answers. Without answers, and perhaps just because the hotel rooms were already paid for (I’m kidding, somewhat), we stayed anyway. I’ll detail tomorrow how and why my mind was changed.
GBM
Today I read some unfortunate news for my European brethren (http://www.pharmacyeurope.net/default.asp?title=AvastinnotrecommendedfortreatmentofGBM&page=article.display&article.id=19458). I don’t know much, or anything really, about Europe’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), but as I root daily for advances in care for glioblastoma patients, I’m grateful to be cheering on the FDA. The phrase ‘Go West, young man’ has never been better advice to some Europeans. Come West to the U.S. where breakthroughs are happening with more and more regularity.
GBM
I just stumbled upon this article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/29/health/29Cancer.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1) which was authored almost two-and-a-half years ago, but still rings true to this day. It’s lengthy, but captures the hardships of a cancer diagnosis precisely. While my mind tries to digest it all, I’m filled with mixed emotions, though two feelings seem more prevalent than any others. Gratitude and frustration. I’ll never stop counting the blessings of my great fortune in that we were able to navigate the minefield of my diagnosis to find the best medical care possible, but I’m frustrated that many still suffer because the system makes what we were able to do extremely difficult. I can only pray that the next two-and-a-half years of progress dwarf the last period in terms of making strides to ensure that all cancer patients are able to find and receive the best medical care, not just those with God and Jessie in their corner.
GBM
The Miami Heat haven’t exactly been kind to the Wizards in recent years, as entering tonight the Heat had won six in a row and 21 of the last 26 times that the two teams met. Furthermore, with a 10-34 all-time record in South Florida, the Wizards came into the game tonight seeking a bit of overdue revenge. Now, I don’t want to suggest that I had anything whatsoever to do with a big Wizards’ win tonight (PR guys seldom factor in the outcome of the game, unless we’re taking the blame), but if you’re going to travel on Thanksgiving Day, you better hope to bring home a win. I have a theory (which I’ll admit to never actually verifying) that teams playing on the road at holiday time fare better than road teams historically do because of the fact that the homestanding team is fat and comfortable from a holiday at home. Meanwhile, the visitors are upset that they’re not enjoying a traditional day, thus they treat the game like the business trip that it is, and take their frustrations out on their hosts. I’m not sure if I’m right, but I’m sticking to my theory. Either way, a win is a win, and after the way I recall spending my Thanksgiving weekend last year (sick and confused), there isn’t a happier individual about to board this plane than me.
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Rather than have just a day dedicated to giving thanks this year, I opted for a whole year of it. This Thanksgiving, and now each and every day that I’m blessed with all that I have, I’m thankful for life. My life, with all of the people that I’m touched to know and have around me, is a life to forever cherish. Happy Thanksgiving to all, and remember to be just as thankful tomorrow as you were today.
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It was brought to my attention today (by my doting Dad) where I was and what I was doing at this time last year. Last night, around the same time that I had to send a heartbreaking press release about the passing of Mr. Pollin, was exactly one year after we first made contact with Duke. Last November 24th as Jessie talked to one of the school’s top researchers, I spoke with another. Those conversations validated for us our efforts of the two previous weeks, as we ’shopped’ around for the perfect place to be treated. Early this morning, as the Wizards organization tried to stomach the thought of the franchise AA (After Abe), little did I know that I was living through another one-year milestone. It was on the morning of November 25th of 2008 that we were officially scheduled for an appointment and consultation at Duke, with two or three different protocols to choose from. By the grace of God we made the right choice.
GBM
I had an honor tonight that I wish I never had. Finding a way to commemorate a man who gave so much to so many over the course of his 85 years in this world isn’t an easy task. Doing so in less than a minute is darn near impossible. I was asked to write the script that was read before the moment of silence dedicated to Wizards Chairman Abe Pollin at tonight’s game at Verizon Center, after Mr. Pollin’s passing this afternoon. With a heavy heart, this is what I wrote and what was read…
Ladies and gentlemen…earlier today, the Washington Wizards family, Washington, DC and the entire world of sports lost one of its finest. The patriarch of what he fondly called ‘The Capital Centre Family’, Mr. Abe Pollin, passed away at the age of 85. A man that will forever be remembered as the owner of the Washington Wizards and Verizon Center, Pollin also formerly owned and operated the Washington Capitals, the Washington Mystics, and the Capital Centre, among other successful business ventures. Along with his wife Irene, through 46 years of ownership of the franchise as the longest tenured owners in the NBA, the Pollins were at the center of it all as the NBA exploded in growth from a small, regional league to a worldwide phenomenon. Mr. Pollin reached the pinnacle of his profession with the Washington Bullets World Championship in 1978, but for all that he accomplished in sports, his accomplishments in life were even greater. It’s only fitting that during this week of Thanksgiving, we give thanks to a man that never stopped sharing his thanks for all of the blessings that this world afforded him. Please join us in a long moment of silence for a great sportsman, businessman and philanthropist, without whom we wouldn’t be assembled in this grand venue tonight; Mr. Abe Pollin.
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Tonight a scene played out in front of us that I’m sure is unique to the nation’s capital. As we drove south on 6th street headed for home after work, we were stopped at the intersection of 6th and Pennsylvania by a policeman on a motorcycle that was parked diagonally in our way. To our left was a picturesque view of the Capitol, lit in all its glory. Between us and the Capitol was another line of traffic that was halted by a police cruiser docked in the middle of the road. At least a half-dozen police vehicles were within a one-block radius, and there was a palpable sense of ’something’ in the air. We’re certainly not native Washingtonians, but we’ve been here long enough to know precisely what that ’something’ was. While the car idled, we sat and waited, knowing that the streets were locked down so we might as well enjoy the show. Seven minutes later, we had an up close view of our tax dollars at work as a motorcade rumbled by. I’d only be speculating if I said it was the President’s (I’m not sure if he’s even in town), but if it wasn’t Obama in one of the 24 - yes 24 - vehicles that drove by then we’re hemorrhaging money and resources even more foolishly than I thought. That said, for that uniquely DC experience, I was happy for once to sit in the District’s snarled traffic mess.
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On this day one year ago, BrianSereno.com was brought into the world. 365 days later, this is my 387th post, and the blog has been seen in 46 states (no love from West Virginia, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho) and 63 countries or territories, by 7,823 unique visitors 54,290 times. With 119,594 pages having been viewed, I feel good about the fact that my message has been so well read. Happy birthday BrianSereno.com. Thanks for bringing so much joy and therapy to me, and for providing me with an outlet to tell the masses exactly how fortunate I feel.
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Since I’m scheduled to travel for work on ‘real’ Thanksgiving, my family brought Thanksgiving to me today courtesy of a ‘fake’ Thanksgiving celebration at Cheryl’s home in Baltimore. If everybody wasn’t watching Gran Torino right now I’d elaborate more on my day, but this movie is too good to miss. Just know that great food and family made this ‘fake’ Thanksgiving as good as the real thing, and this coming Thursday will just be a bonus.
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