April 25

Cycle schedule has given me this weeek off.
Feeling good and finding increasd ability to
eliminate the negative and accentuate the positive.
Many believe dealing with hardships in a positive manner
is conducive to good health.
Research at U. of Texas in Houston found that stress hormones produce an adrenal activated protein that helped cancer cells survive unattached.
Healthy cells typically need to be attached to survive.
Cancer patients who had higher levels of stress hormones,
saw the disease progress faster.
Jack

April 17

Sis Meri, bro-in law Scott and son Nick visited last wkend.
They took care of some much needed chores around here.
That wkend and this are low pt in cycle, as I go cold turkey
from steroids. next wkend will be better as I am off cycle till 4/27.
Docter York indicates progress is excellent. I am optimstic
there will be some definitive good news after a few more cycles.
Let us pray. Up to 40 min on the walk and no pain on the recently reduced med., which could be eliminated in a month or so.
Your support has provided a lifting of my spirits, that is essential to healing.
I am so greatful, and thank each one of you so much.

Masters Weekend

after surviving a flight home on Friday night on Air Tran (there were people answering phones and asking to use the restroom during the actual takeoff), i was greeted by Mom, Auntie Meri and Uncle Scott. It was great to see all of them, and the fun continued throughout the weekend, and was supported by seeing Dad in good spirits and visibly getting stronger. He had a chemo treatment of friday (it's too bad those have to be right before the weekends, when people come) but even as that started making things a little difficult on Sunday, he hung in strong and was up and about and in a pretty good mood. (i guess a good thing about having them on Friday is that when things are the toughest is when people are there to help, so it works both ways).

We all had a leisurely breakfast on Saturday where we discussed the tenets of Buddhism (i guess everyone had just watched a show Siddhartha) before i got there. Kris's Trey and co. were over doing work around the house. After breakfast we picked up where they left off. Scott shop-vacced all the ac units and i pressure washed the patio furniture and patio. Dad kept sneaking out trying to help us, but mysteriously disappeared right around when the Masters came on. Uncle Warren and the Feldmans were generous to bring over some great food for dinner. Together with Mom's cooking it was wonderful seeing everybody. It was a lot of excitement, but Dad hung in there, even when everyone got me talking econ. That's a real trooper. It was nice to see Mom enjoying seeing everyone too.

Sunday morning necessitated Scott and I getting a workout in to work off so much good food. Meri and Mom got a walk in too. Scott was a big help up in the attic while we shop vacced the excrement of a rogue squirrel. Squatting around in tight spots in rafters with a shopvacc is tough on its own, never mind after you did a bunch of squats. Auntie Meri was a big help in the kitchen too. The dishwasher was misbehaving, and as everyone knows, Mastronardis can go through some serious silverware. With Auntie's incessant help, the dishes never backed up and the kitchen stayed clean. It was sad when we had to take them to the airport around noon.

Mom and I stopped by Auntie Leslie and Uncle Warren's on the way home. It was awesome to see Auntie Leslie looking so well. And, it's always great to see Uncle Warren. After we got home, Mom and I finished cleaning every last thing out of the attic. That was some hard work especially since it had really heated up up there. We ended up getting everything done, and watched the great finish to the morality play also called the Masters. You gotta be happy for Phil. (sorry you didn't win all the money Brady, ... next year;).

Well, all in all it was productive and fun trip seeing the ol 'rents and everybody. Hope all you readers are doing fine and Spring is finding everybody well. Monday morning brought me an early flight back to work. But, after AirTran had to abort the takeoff because of a warning light halfway down the runway, it turned into a late morning flight back to work. Oh well, back to the routine for everybody. Let's hope Dad's routine, which has its cycles of ups and downs, continues it general upward trend and Dr. York continues to work miracles.

Peace (and Nirvana).

3 Apr. 10 Easter Greetings

Happy Easter!
Awaiting visit with 4 and a half year old grandson, Hudson. Timing is good as energy and comfort levels are up, following chemo section of treatment cycle.
A firend, knowledgeable in the subject, sent me "Healing Visualizations". Discussed is letting God in, and using the mind to heal through imagery.
Interstingly, there is reference to a 21 day imagery cycle, which corresponds to my 21 day treatment cycle! Coincidence?