Wow! I knew I had a few friends here, but wow. Thanks for all the
good thoughts and wishes.

I didn't mean to imply gloom and doom. The disease is incurable and
can have eventually fatal effect on vital organs, but we really don't
have a prognosis yet and all indications are that it's early stages.
We're both expecting that she will get better with a treatment
protocol now starting, devised by the small team on her case at Mayo
to optimize quality of life by managing effects of the disease while
minimizing or arresting its progress as much as possible.

We think that's exactly the right focus, and we're optimistic for the
time being. We know we won't live forever. We've always said we'd
like to check out same day with a nickel left, both grinning and
flipping the bird at the grim reaper. We think there may well be a
few more good years for us.

My ex-wife and my high school sweetheart that I was going to marry and
live happily ever after with (but didn't) died within a day of each
other in autumn of 2007, both of aggressive cancers. Spookey.

I was circling the drain in May of '08 but was saved by a good surgeon
and a bit of attitude. Gettin' old is not for sissies.

I don't fear death, and I don't think Mary does. We're both
experienced with death of others and grief for them. We do what we
can to avoid it and forestall it for ourselves, but we accept that
it's inevitable.

Best we can do is enjoy our lives and each other for as long as we
last until our chits expire. Quality life is job 1 every day.