70%

 There were 2 big pre surgical tests this week. I'm very happy to report that the news was very encouraging from both of them.

  On Monday, I went in for a catscan and it was discovered that the inflammation around the tumor area was down considerably, and that there was still no evidence of any distant spreading, or "metastases" (in medical terms) of the cancer. 

 Next up, today I met with my surgeon, Dr. Stricker, who is scheduled to perform a "Lower Anterior Resection", in which a significant part of my colon will be removed. He "got all up in there" with his trusty scope and after a..ahem...thorough examination, informed me that it appeared  the tumor had shrunk a staggering 70%!..though to be truthful, he didn't use the word "staggering". I however will go on to use the word "staggering" as much as possible when describing this. Needless to say, Carrie and I were thrilled to hear this news. In Dr. Stricker's words, this "sets us up very nicely" for the surgical procedure. As we were leaving his office, he let us know with a big smile that he was very pleased with this result. We were of course very happy to hear that coming from him. :)

 It may sound strange, but going into these 2 tests, I had barely a shred of worry. I have felt so healthy and strong from my dietary and lifestyle changes that it was like I ALREADY KNEW there had been a major reversal in the condition. Of course, getting the hard, quantifiable data was very reassuring, and definitely needed.

 So September 7th is the big day. I will most likely remain in the hospital for about a week following the procedure, and then ease my way back into civilian life. I know there are some challenges awaiting me, but I feel more ready than ever to face them. 

 More to come soon..

back with the boys

3 shows down! The Foreigner train keeps rolling and I just hopped back on. Big thanks to my buddy Ollie Marland who stepped in and did a fabulous job subbing for me on keys while I was out.
 Food wise I have to say it has been a bit of a challenge. My steady diet of hi quality natural foods has not been as steady..though I have landed at a couple of Whole Foods markets so far: one in Tyson's Corner, Virginia, and another in Norwalk, Connecticut. I have found that I need to branch out to more chicken and fish to be sure to get enough protein. I'm about 12 pounds lighter than I was before the diagnosis, and it has been stressed that I shouldn't  get too skinny before surgery so i'm trying to pack a few pounds back on.
 The herbs and supplements are still in the picture, and I have added some Graviola to the mix which is rumored to have some cancer fighting properties.
 We just flew in to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada and we have the day off tomorrow. I'll be hunting down some vegetarian spots and doing lots of walking around the city exploring.