Just Do It !

(you will see later why this is the title for this update)
It has been more than a month since my last update. I feel obligated to update you all because I promoted my blog from day-1. Since many of my family members, friends and colleagues are really scattered all over the globe, it;s the best way to Keep In Touch (my blog's name!).

Business before pleasure (medical updates before my adventures update):

I get my chemotherapy treatments every Tuesday 7:30-12:00.I do it like a machine: get up early, drive to Boston, on the way there I pickup a cup of coffee, get the treatment while working and when it's over, quickly pack my laptop and drive home. At the slightest signs of hesitation to go, pity, doubt or tiredness from this drill, I quickly push the bad thoughts away. This allows me to do what I must do and as a trained soldier.
I have hard time to realize the fact that it has been over 8.5 months of weekly chemotherapy!
Ongelofelijk !!! (Unbelievable in Dutch, as Iris & David taught me).
It is hard to predict how much longer. My starting point was very bad and it was clear (maybe not to me) that it would take many months. However, being optimistic, I am willing to bet on 6 more months or less.A complete blood analysis is done every Tuesday, just before every treatment. Based on the results, the doctors decide how to proceed. Because I am in a clinical trial, the process has some very strict guidelines and the results must be within a lo/hi range. If one of the criteria isn't met, the treatment is interrupted in favor of taking care of the too high/low parameter.
A month ago my sodium got to a very low level and it was going down too close to the limit.
One of the nurses who was concerned simply asked me: "do you like V8?" (it's a tomato juice in a can with 40% sodium). I do like it and replied with a YES. To my surprise, V8 has by far the highest % of sodium than any other food or drink.
And so, 2 days before every treatment, I drink lots of V8 like there is no tomorrow. As a result, my sodium hasn't been that good in months!
To keep my body in shape I now have a personal trainer (Judy). She comes home once a week for yoga and stretching. While it looks simple, I can testify that I feel every muscle after one hour of exercise. Between yoga and the daily walks I should be fine.During last Tuesday's treatment I did some periodic tests which are done every 5 weeks.It is a mental process called expectation! The 24 hours between the test and the results can be as hard as the treatment itself.

My latest results indicate that the present medications don't work that well. The numbers are up. I have programmed myself to deal with setbacks and this is no exception.
The implication is that I will go on another clinical trial very soon (new medications) and hope for the best.
It is a disappointment and I would lie if it wasn't. Yet, I am not worried regarding the treatment. In my case I have no choice at all, but to continue and try a combination of medications that will finally work.

Now to the pleasure (adventures) part of this update:

My boss in Orbotech in the late 90's, Avi Koren, always told his staff "Just do it!".
While it sounds simple and naive, there a lot behind it. In Life like in work, things have got to be done. It is about doing what you believe is right, with passion, professionalism and sometimes against all odds.One of my latest acts of "Just do it" was to travel with Shoshy for a family visit to Europe.Since my time window is between Tuesdays, the trip could last only 6 days.
I have family in Holland and France and my situation could get worse before it gets better. Therefore I decided to take the full 6 days and go for it. At the time of booking my condition was not so well to say the least. I had all sort of issues. Somehow by setting a target and spending the money (expensive airfare), my condition slowly improved towards the travel day. Next week Shoshy and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary. We are a rare breed with this kind of statistics. So, this was another good reason to go back to where we spent our honeymoon 30 years ago in to date. I have family in France whom I haven't seen in a long time, another opportunity to see Iris my sister and her family, Shoshy by my side and 6 full days to do it all. And so, on a Tuesday afternoon, right after treatment, we set off to France and Holland. For those of you who read my blog from Feb. 08, this was a familiar drill deja-vu. Needless to say, the nurses and doctors who OKed the trip, are still amazed. This time during the flight, although I was the only passenger with a face mask, it didn't draw a lot of attention as last time. The first part of the visit took us to Den-Haag, Holland, where My sister Iris lives with her family. On the day we arrived, we rented bicycles for me and Shoshy and together with Iris and David we cycled through a nature reserve with sand dunes and nice trails that led to the ocean. There, we played Matkot (go translate this to English...) and took a lot of pictures. My sister's apartment is right on the beach with a clear view to the ocean (see the pictures). Having dinner and watching a perfect sunset is absolutely breath taking. Holland is covered with orange flags because of the Euro Cup 2008 (soccer). On the day that we travelled to Paris, Holland beat France 4:1 and the French were in mourning. In the two days in Den-Haag we did more sight seeing but most important we stayed together, talked, updated each other and recharged. The train back to France took us in no time to Paris at 230 Km/h. Paris is the most beautiful city, hands on the table! Meeting with our Parisian family branch was really overdue. We got royal treatment from the get-go. Leslie (Pierre's mom) picked us from the train station, prepared a French dinner for us and then took us for a night walk under the lighted Eifel tower (she lives nearby).
Moishale my uncle made sure that we'll see all of Paris without walking too much.
Micky, my cousin, prepared a gourmet brunch for all the family in her apartment. We did some sight seeing on our own, by taking an open bus tour of Paris. In between, we had coffee in the Champs Elysees, tasty dinner in a very nice restaurant near the Opera, walked between the Trocadero to the Eifel at night, raided the flee market and much more. As Shoshy said "this was exhausting even for a healthy person".
On Monday noon we headed back home. On the plane I saw the movie Two Buckets. It's about two not so young guys who are terminally ill and decided to make a list of things to do before they die and Just Do It. What a coincidence, but with a small twist: I do have long term plans!

Going back to something I already mentioned to you in the past: out of every bad situation there is a possibility for a good outcome. I wanted to visit Israel this summer and negotiated with the doctors the terms. It was difficult because of the treatments on every Tuesday. Now that I have to move to a new clinical trial, a mandatory two weeks off is my ticket to Israel!
I plan to be in the Holy Land from 2 to 14 July!

And so my fellow blog-readers, this is it for this update.
Always optimistic,
Yours
Guy
Shoshy & Guy logo!, Paris, On bicycles in Holland

Playing MATKOT, Eating Herring!, Sunset from Iris's window

View from Iris's apartment, Paris, getting funny in Holland

Thank You !!!

May has been a great month (still is!) with many visitors and events.

In my last update I told you about a few coming events.

Since then:

Lior walked all the 20 miles in the Walk for Hunger in Boston and raised money for this worthy cause.

My dear sister Iris came from England to see me. I wish we had these reunions more often. Iris went on a few missions: get our home better organized by throwing away a lot of stuff and getting me on a healthy and fattening diet.

Tod, a friend of the Zahala elementary school, came to see me on his way between the US and Europe. Together with Iris we had a lovely sightseeing day in Boston.

Spring time in Boston is amazing (I also mentioned it last time because it is really amazing). Every year I look at the explosion of nature as if I am new to this area.
Lucky for me, I have no allergies, so I can enjoy the amazing color show without worries. Some of my local friends tell me that I'll become a true American when I'll have at least one allergy.

I write this update as I get my weekly treatment at Dana Farber.
If you see something funny in my writing, at least I have a good excuse - under the influence of experimental drugs!
It is amazing how I got used to the drill in the past 7 months: get up early, grab something to eat, drive to Boston, get the treatment, drive back home.
During the chemotherapy sessions I sit on the bed with the laptop open, the Blackberry is there too, a few scattered notes and before you know it, the 5 hours are gone.

Belive me - it is better to be busy than look around.
Thanks to my friend Danny Kitri in Israel, I have a CD with many marches: American, British and Russian. As I drive to and from Boston for the treatment, I listen these marches which get me in the right fighting mood (including "In The Mood, by Glenn Miller).
I also found a way to get rid off some side effects right after every treatment - a little exercise in the form of walking around the block. Today Lior took me to a wonderful walk 10 min. from our home - in the woods nearby there is a boardwalk around a pond.

The title of this update is Thank You !!!

In my last update I told you about the MMRF walk/run event on May 10th, in which Orbotech was one of the sponsors in my honor.
I am happy to report that the event was a success. There were hundreds of walkers and runners. I have attached a few pictures to share with you.

Many of you came on a very cold Saturday morning to the walk. You and others who could not come donated with an open heart.
I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for your kind support for me through this event.

Thank you to Nancy and others that helped her in this event and to Orbotech Inc. management for their support and encouragement.
It means a lot to me and it gave me a strong back wind in my drive to win this battle and soon.

I owe Nancy from Orbotech Inc. a big and a special thank you for her initiative and taking care of everything - hours of preparations in the weeks before the event and during the event day.
A few weeks ago Nancy came to me with a proposal that Orbotech will sponsor the MMRF walk/run event in my honor. Initially I was reluctant for reasons that I can't even explain to myself. Maybe it's because I am not used to being the center of an event. Gracefully Nancy persisted and I gave the OK. From that point on, things started to roll in an amazing way. Nancy has sent emails to the all the Orbotech employees plus a few reminders, instructions, directions, etc. encouraging them to participate. I sent emails to my many friends and relatives around the world and even to some key customers and suppliers.
The response has been most overwhelming in terms of donations and encouragements. We had to raise the bar twice and at the end the total is over $26,000.

The donation page will remain open for a year. Late comers who still wish to donate can do it any time. Looking at similar sites, some use it to donate on behalf of family members for birthdays or for any other occasion, etc.
www.active.com/donate/bos08/teamorbotech
I got emails from friends and ex-colleagues that I haven't heard from in years, all of which made me very happy. I found it very rewarding to be able to renew old contacts from my distant past: elementary school, Naval Academy and the Ship I was on, friends and acquaintances from the 5 different countries I lived in, customers an suppliers in North America that I work with and work colleagues throughout the years (Orbotech and ex-Orbotech).
As an example of dedication: my friend Eyal from Baltimore, jumped on a plane at 6 am to be with me on that day, and at the end of the event jumped on the return plane to go home.
The Orbotech team (in this case all of you and me) got the #1 award for this event. Strangely enough, when Nancy and I went to receive the award at the conclusion of the event, the person who gave it to us was no other than Dr. Paul Richarson, the clinical research director of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at Dana Farber! He is signed on my clinical trial!

For all of this, a big THANK YOU one more time from the bottom of my heart.

On the medical front, the drill is simple: every cycle is 5 weeks with a weekly treatment every Tuesday. Every end of a cycle progress is measured. At the end of every 2 cycles, a decision is taken: continue or change. So my life has turned into time intervals of my lucky number 5 !

Written a day later:

I just got the news that the test results are good: there is good progress! The numbers are just as the doctors want to see them: not going down to fast or too slow. I had a bet with myself what will it be and I was very close.

Yours, always optimistic,
Guy

from a window at our home. . . . . . . . . under the big Spruce in our yard

Three Acts of Kindness

In our daily lives we read and hear about all sort of fundraising, all for good causes.
It feels a lot different when the event or activity is sponsored by your employer or loved ones.
In a span of 3 weeks (from last week to the next 2 weeks) I have encountered and will encounter 3 wonderful and heart warming acts of kindness and support.

First event was a week ago. Inbal's high school friend from Needham, Lindsey, ran the Boston marathon for the first time (26.2 miles !!!) as a charity for Dana Farber. She never ran anything like a marathon. Nevertheless, she trained, raised a lot of money and made it through. We both told each other "you are my hero", each for his/her own marathon. It was moving and touching to watch her running by as we cheered her at mile 18.

The second event will be the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation 5K walk/run event in Boston on May 10th.
I was overwhelmed by Orbotech's decision to sponsor this event in my honor.
In the course of our lives we are asked to take part in all sort activities, as well as contribute money and time.
This is the first time that I find myself asking others to do something that is directly related to my life, which is to support the research for Multiple Myeloma (MM).
Interestingly enough, the team of doctors who are taking care of me at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, co-invented the only known medication for MM.
The results are promising and at the same time there is a lot more to do.
I invite everyone in the Boston area to come and join my family and me in this event.
As many other have already generously done, you can donate through the link:
www.active.com/donate/bos08/teamorbotech

The third event will be the Boston Walk for Hunger on May 4th. In the past few years I have participated twice with my daughters in this 22 miles walk around Boston.
This year I will be cheering Lior and Neta from the sidewalk, as they walk for this worthy cause.
The act of giving is very powerful for both sides.

Spring in Boston is absolutely amazing, even after watching it for so many years. It is a miracle how in the span of 3 weeks the landscape changes from bare trees and land to a colorful party of everything that grows. I have attached below a few pictures.

On the medical front, no real news. The process is slow: I go every Tuesday for my chemotherapy session and every 2.5 months tests are run to determine progress. I have programmed myself to be patient and adapt to these very long time constants.

This week I was lucky to have two dear guests.

First, my sister Iris came from England for 10 days. We are very close in spite of the big ocean between us. It is a wonderful opportunity to talk about everything, get a good advice and keep up with the latest family news. The one thing I am not getting used to when Iris is here, is having more than 10 cups of tea per day...

My second guest was Tod whom I know from our kindergarten days.

Guests are a good thing. They force me to take it easy, go and see things, sit and talk and drink a lot of tea and coffee.

And so, as I look outside and see the Spring colors all around - I am optimistic.

Yours

Guy

About test results and waiting for them

I can't believe that more than 5 months of treatments have gone by.
This week was an important one. As I completed two cycles of clinical trials (the last 10 weeks), I had a series of tests to determine progress.
One of the tests was a bone marrow biopsy. It's a short procedure, but very painful, where the doctor uses "Home Depot" tools to drill a small piece of the heap bone for analysis. This is my 3rd test of this kind. Luckily it is a short procedure. As part of the clinical trials, the medical team asks the patients to do a bone marrow biopsy after every 2 cycles. It is not mandatory. I agreed and It is in a way my contribution to the research for a cure.

As the anxiety for the test and its results was building up, the suspension, the unknown, the what-if questions, got me like any other person in a similar situation.
I recalled my early university days, running to the bulletin board to look at my exam results.
When you think about it, life is about many tests and confronting the results.

Needless to say, in the case of my present illness, test results have some very serious implications.

To cut the story short, I got the results and they show progress!

I already know and witnessed that progress is neither predictable nor linear.
And so I take it with satisfaction that the direction is positive and at the same time I know that the road to recovery is a long one and prepare myself for the ups and downs to come.
Many friends ask me "how much more time with treatments?". Nobody knows. It is a closed loop process in which periodic tests determine the course of action.
I feel that my body is strong, my spirit is positive and I am optimistic.
Therefore, it will take a few more months or a bit more and at the end, as planned, we'll have a nice party.

Summer is around the corner and along with it the travel season.
Since the treatment's results are good, I will continue to have my weekly appointment (every Tuesday) at Dana Farber in Boston. If the results were not good, they would have given me a 2-3 weeks vacation and start with another clinical trial. This would have allowed me to sneak a visit to Israel.
So the good medical news are bad news for my travel plans.
Since the priority is to get me healthy again, I accept the curfew.
Shoshy and the girls will start their pilgrimage to the holy land in May.
Yours
Always optimistic!
Guy

No News = Good News

This is the first update with nothing new and exciting to report. Sometimes, it is OK too.

Yet, a month has gone by since the last one and I feel compelled to tell you what's going on in the medical and personal fronts.

Needham High School, winter in Mass., colorful glasswork)

On the medical side, no news. In two weeks, I will complete another treatment cycle as part of the clinical trials and then will undergo tests. Depending on the outcome, the doctors will decide between staying the course or changing to other medications in their arsenal.

During my weekly treatment I look at the results and take my doctor's advise not to take it too seriously. There are ups and downs, just like the stock market (not really that bad...) and the long term approach is the best way to look at the situation.

While there is no good news yet in terms of reducing the cancerous cells, other parameters have improved, which explain why I overall feel really well most of the time. Sometimes, when I get all sort of small and normal irritating problem, the first thought is that it is all because of my illness. I found this approach dangerous, because we all get sometimes stomach ache, head ache, etc. So, I am used to telling myself that all the little irritations have nothing to do with my big problem. Putting all of this aside helps me to feel better.

Time flies. It is almost five months that I have been in chemotherapy. I must admit that initially I planned on a few months of treatments, having a good bye party with the doctors and forget about the whole thing. It is clear that due to the slow progress it is going to be a longer 'adventure'.

Yet, I am ready and the basic plans have not changed, just will take longer to get there. Getting into a routine helps a lot. My week is as follows: I go to the office for 2 days and the rest work from home. Tuesday is my treatment day.

A typical Tuesday: I drive to the hospital in Boston, get the few hours of treatment and drive back home. While there, I try to concentrate on my laptop's screen which looks a lot better than the patients around me.

To make sure that I am on track after a long treatment, going to the office on Wednesday is really important. This is my way of putting aside all the little annoyances, irritations and leftovers from Tuesday's treatment.

with all 3 girls at our home, Shadow (our cat) pretending to relax next to Trevor the fish

Having most of the girls at home is a huge plus. Of course I wish it could have been under different circumstances. Yet, it is most enjoyable to have the family around you. Today, Sunday (Easter), was a good example. After a very lazy start of the day, we decided to go out strolling along the ocean. We dressed properly and took off to the unknown in a very clear, sunny and chilly day. Lior was driving (with some four back-seat drivers) and I played with the GPS until we found our destination: the promenade along Quincy Shore Drive.
Closing my eyes and smelling the sea reminds me of many memorable moments as a sailor. From the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, beautiful sunsets, stormy seas, huge waves, dolphins and the missions. In front of me the Atlantic Ocean with the Boston skyline in the background, brings no memories of sailing, as I have not sailed in this part of the world, but instead, our many years here in Boston.
After walking on the sandy beach we found a good restaurant and finally at 3 pm had our first meal of the day. Everyone was happy.Next update I hope to report progress.

Yours, always optimistic,

Guy

Sunday afternoon by the Atlatic Ocean

Two chemo treatments and 14,104 km (8,815 miles) in between

This update is not as funny as the last one with the drug dealer. It was indeed a unique situation which I was able to describe only part of it. This time it is about a plan which was turned into a reality.
A week ago I was in Italy for 5 days (7 days with travel time). It all took place between Monday 11 Feb. to Monday 17 Feb.
Monday is the day of my weekly treatment. Now you can understand the title of this update.

It all started with my wish to visit the Italian company that Orbotech acquired last year. As the marketing manager of this new group, I felt that the personal interaction with the team is a must. There is a limit to what can be achieved by email and phone calls. In addition, doing one more 'business as usual' activity was important for me. Since becoming ill I haven't traveled at all, except the Nov. 2007 trip to Israel. Since travel is challenge and a risk, I have to cherry pick the important cases and get the medical team blessing for it. I consulted with my doctor, and she was favorable overall, with one condition: that I will be OK on the day of travel! A date was set and I was very excited.
A week before the trip I was hospitalized for 3 days. I thought to my self: "here goes your wonderful plan". At the same time I convinced myself that by the time of the planned trip, I will be OK! Indeed, I felt really well in the days following the hospital adventure, maybe after laughing so hard watching the drug dealer, his girls and the piles of money on his bed.
The plan was still very tricky for Monday 11 Feb.:
9-12 am: go to the hospital for my weekly chemotherapy.
12:30: drive home, pack and rest for 1 hour.
2 pm: take a taxi to the airport
4:45 pm: fly to Europe.
Crazy but doable!

Monday was a long day. Everything worked according to the plan: I got my treatment, the doctor gave me the final go-ahead, the taxi came on time and I was on my way to the airport.


As you can see in the picture, treatment time is not a lost time thanks to my laptop.






The nurses at the hospital were not sure why I tried to speed up the treatment and get out early. Usually patients stay longer after the treatment until they feel well.I promised the doctor and nurses to be back in a week and on time for my next Monday treatment. I must add at this point that the people who knew about my plan were divided into two groups:
The optimists - encouraged me, happy for me, wished me well. Special thanks for my doctor who looked at the facts and not at the theory.
The pessimists - try to talk me out of my plan. "you are totally irresponsible", "you shouldn't fly at all", "it's a BAD idea", "you'll be sick like a dog", "what if you get sick in Italy", etc.

As a disciplined patient, if my doctor says OK, I go. If the order was not to go, I would have stayed.
With my body loaded with anti-biotics, anti-virals and a face mask, I took-off to Venice via Frankfurt. I must admit that I prayed that everything will go smoothly. I had no plans to be admitted to a small Italian hospital, far away from a serious medical center. Unlike in the Far-East, where it is common to see 50% of the people with face masks, I was the only one in sight with a face mask (in two flights and 3 airports on that day). The long flight to Europe was almost full. Some people who were assigned to sit next to me (right and left), saw me and the mask and quickly found other seats, fearing that I have the Plague. I am not used to be treated as someone with Leprosy. Try to explain that the mask is to protect me and not them.
However, the outcome was very positive and I thanked all the people who ran away from me: I had empty seats all around me to relax, stretch, sleep and enjoy almost first class conditions in the economy class. Now, please don't get an idea that on your next flight you can put on an inexpensive face mask and get two empty sits next to you. The toughest part in this long journey was breathing through a mask for some 24 hours. I couldn't take any chance.

In the arrival area in Venice airport, a taxi driver waited for me with a big sign :" Guy Alon". It's funny. Throughput my many travels I have seen numerous people waiting with signs and now it was the first time that it happened to me. For a moment I felt really important...
Driving on the highway at 180 Km/h was like playing a video game of a high speed chase. Everyone was going way too fast. My Italian language quickly came back to me after a nice conversation for an hour with the taxi driver. The old guy was born in that area of Northern Italy and lived there for his entire life. He never went abroad and he visited south Italy only a few times. Some people travel and some stay put.
Finally after 3 airports, 2 flights, 2 taxi rides and 24 hours, I arrived to the company in Gorizia. It is a town on the border with Slovania where you can see the snowy peaks of the Alps. It was a great relief to take-off the mask.
The local Italian team gave me a warm welcome. Their hospitality was great throughout the week and I thank them all for that. I'll skip the professional and technical details of the visit, just to mention that it was very important for me and my job and I am glad that I did it. I arrived to the conclusion that the Italian food is the best medication. I enjoyed every bit of it. Everything was soooooo good: the tortellini, tiramisu, minestrone, to mention a few of my favorites. My plan was to work until Friday afternoon, rest on Saturday, then on Saturday afternoon take a taxi to Venice airport, check-in to a hotel nearby and fly out early on Sunday morning.
Working for a full week was quiet an effort for me. I haven't done it since becoming ill. As a result I slept for almost 14 hours (until 2 pm on Saturday). For me not eating 5 meals a day is very unusual. So, I took a short walk looking for a restaurant. Nothing was open: 2-4 pm everything is closed. I settled for a coffee place for a good latte and a croissant. The small coffee shop was full of local people. Everyone talked to everyone, quietly, with hand gestures and about everything: from work to personal matters. Two old guys flirted with the waitress. They were a bit drunk and friendly. I understood every word. The spicy language and hand waiving made me laugh hard behind a newspaper that I found on the table. For the Israelis among you who remember the movie KVALIM, the picture was similar to the scene where Shissell, Mushonov and Arik Einstein have a conversation near the bar.
When a big noise was heard from the room at the back of the coffee shop, everyone ran to help (it was the waitress boy who bumped into something). The friendliness among the people in the coffee shop was in stark difference to what we are accustomed to see in most other places. By the way, it is in that part of Italy that two famous coffee companies have their main facilities: Cafe Illy and Cafe Segafredo.Hungry but happy I waved goodbye to the crowd at the coffee shop and took a taxi to Venice airport.
The thought that I will be near Venice and not actually see it, crossed my mind. If you know me well, you can guess the next chapter of this trip.

I threw my bags in the hotel room and took a bus to see Venice. Dressed well (it was cold), I then boarded a boat-taxi that took me via the Grand Canal to the famous Piazza San Marco.It has been almost 30 years since my last visit to Venice. In the summer of 1978 Shoshy and I were there on a honey moon! We fed the pigeons, climbed up the campanile tower, had a great Italian gelato, and enjoyed a sunny day. This time, I was alone, it was cold, it was a full moon clear night, and I was very happy to close a loop. Many of the buildings were illuminated, the place was clean, no sign of past floods, there were many Asian tourists who braved the cold temperatures and most of the shops and restaurants were open. I managed to walk quiet a bit, in spite of my body not used to such a long walk and not fully cooperating with my plan. Finally at 10 pm I sat in a small restaurant for my first meal on that day (excluding the snacks of course). It was a farewell dinner in this trip to my favorite Italian cuisine. There was something funny in that restaurant that got my attention. Usually the waiters are friendly and especially in my case, because I speak Italian. My waiter was smiling but always looked in a certain direction, no matter where he walked to (like a gyro on a gimbal set). I was puzzled. He barely looked at me or the other diners. Even when he brought the hot soup, he placed it right in front of me without looking down at my table. Then, I turned my head and looked at the direction that the waiter was watching. I got it ! Behind me on the wall there was a TV showing live (but silent) a very important soccer game in the Italian league. The local team was winning (barely). Can you imagine how the hot soup would have landed on my table if the local team was losing...

On my way back to the shuttle-boat, I lost my way. I went in circles in the small allies and finally was assisted by a young fellow who showed me the way out.

The trip back to Boston was similar to the one that took me to Venice: long flight, long connection, face mask all the time, free seats around me and not so great airline food. Lucky for me I stuffed myself with a lot of real tortellini (my favorite) before the flight.
In the Boston airport I had a nice surprise: all my 3 girls came to pick me up! What a joy!
After 6 long days I was back home, tired, but in a good shape, high spirit, without viruses, flu, etc.

The morning after my arrival I went to the hospital in Boston for my weekly treatment, as I promised the medical team not to be a deserter.
This was my busiest week in a long time.

On the medical side, I continue with the experimental treatment at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and so far so good. It will take a few more months for sure. Tomorrow (Monday) will be the end of cycle-1 and I will go through a few tests to assess progress. If they find a lot of traces of tortellini in my blood tests, you know where it came from.
The marathon goes on. The Italian trip gave me a nice boost.
I am already planning my next travel adventure, but this is a secret for now.
Yours, always optimistic,
Guy

Unexpected Hospital Adventure

Would you believe if I told you:
That in the last weekend I slept next to a drug dealer?
That I enjoyed it?
That I laughed so hard at times during the weekend?

I am 100% sure that all of you either think that:
The medications are finally start to work on Guy!
What does a drug dealer has to do with Guy's treatments?

You'd better believe me because it is true.
Ask Shoshy and Inbal who were the witnesses.

The story started last week. On Friday I had high fever and my doctor ordered me to be hospitalized. In my condition they don't take a chance.
Hospital experience in Boston (which we are all too familiar with from Shoshy's adventures 4 years ago), is nothing compared to other hospitals anywhere in the world. I am not just talking about the room, facilities, cleanliness, equipment, etc.
What makes the differences are the nurses and the way they run the show so smoothly. Another pleasant surprise was the food. I have a famous saying that the hospital food alone can kill you. Not in Boston! The system is as follows: you get a menu and 45 minutes before you would like to eat, you call a number and order a la cart. The menu (4 pages) looks like one from a respectable restaurant. The food arrives warm, on a nice tray and in nice plates. From drinks, appetizers, entrees, side orders, to deserts. For the Israelis among you: America Versano!

And so, I found myself alone in a nice hospital room for two, hooked up to several IVs ("infusiot") and well take care of. Whenever the doctors decided to run a test it was done without delay: from a simple blood test to an X-ray, Ultrasound, etc.

After a quiet morning alone in a room and a good lunch, the other empty bed wasn't empty any more. My neighbor was a young good looking African-American guy, accompanied by two ladies.
There was a curtain between the two beds and most of the time I could only hear the conversations and the bad language, most of which I will not be able to repeat here. Instead, I used just a few letters so please use your imagination..

The "entertainment program" started with the admission nurse. She asked his permission to do few tests, including to swipe a special small stick in his but to test for antibiotics resistant viruses. Needless to say he refused. When the nurse went out he picked-up the phone, called a friend and said: "The Mo... Fu... wants me to stick this thing in my F... ass. Who the F... they think they are."
Then his ladies joined the conversation with plenty of a variety of words we don't use very often. I still don't get what was the fuss all about.

The guy looked intelligent and I had no clue about his business. He made a few innocent calls until one in the afternoon which revealed the unthinkable: my neighbor is a drug dealer!!!
In a few conversations with the ladies and on the phone, I learned the profit from each deal, how often does he buy a supply, there are deals that lawyers are involved, where to go to have fun, etc. a wealth of information you don't just read in the Boston Globe.
The girls were gone and new girls came. The guy made more phone calls with plenty of bad language. I sat behind the curtain, sometimes with Inbal, laughing hard but quietly and enjoying this live entertainment.
One evening when Shoshy came to see me, she was amazed. The guy with three other girls were counting money on the bed. Lot's of money, more than in any ATM ("Bankomat"), big packs of greenbacks ($$$), probably the proceeds for the business or businesses.
Amazingly the nurse came in, took his vital signs, laughed with the girls and went away. can you picture that in your mind?

The next day, it was the Super Bowl with New England Patriots vs. the New York Jets and Inbal joined me in the room for the game. Although we (New Englanders) lost, the entertainment came from the guy and his ladies. At times, especially in the final moments he stood next to the TV, cursing and blessing everyone, waving his hands and acting with passion.
We laughed so hard in spite of the loss.

Later at night I couldn't sleep, The guy was conducting business with many partners over the phone. It was about buying, selling, and the "Mo... Fu... who stick needles in my F... arms, want me to collect my F... urine" and "get me out of this F... up place".

This blog can't describe all the events in the 3 days at the hospital which made me laugh hard and have a good time.
Yet, there was a lesson: stereotyping doesn't work. I did not expect to meet a funny, intelligent drug dealer, with a circle of friends so devoted to him he had visitors at all time of the day. A drug dealer so kind and funny that even the nurses could not resist enjoying his company. Who could believe or expect what I have described above?

So, after 3 days with live entertainment and some serious medical work, I went home. Walking with Inbal on the sidewalk, breathing fresh air and looking up to the skies, are a few things you start to appreciate only after you miss them.

A few days before I was admitted to the hospital, my mother came especially from Israel to see me. I am thankful for you mom!
Although things didn't go as planned, I enjoyed the visit and the healthy foods. Next time I promise to behave better.

In the last blog I told you about the clinical trials. About 10 days ago I started a new treatment with experimental medications. Now after two sessions I feel OK, no side effects, eat well and I hope it stays like this.
All that is left is to see how the new medications do their trick and kill the bad cells. The goal is to reach the point where a stem cell transplant can take place, probably in a few months. This is a marathon and my focus is on the finish line and the recovery party!

Yours, always optimistic,
Guy