August update...

Hi Everyone -

Just wanted to touch base with you all and let you know that I am progressing well through treatment. This week I go for round 9 of chemo and I have a scan scheduled for tomorrow. I hope they are able to get the results for Wednesday when I meet with the doc otherwise we'll have to wait. I will send out a message and update the blog as soon as I know the results. I think I have been lucky so far and have experienced mild side effects. The mouth sores started to appear after treatment 7. They are like canker sores and cause pain and discomfort however, the doc did prescribe some medicine to help. Its called swish and swallow and makes your mouth numb for about 1/2 an hour. It also has curative effects too as once you use it the sores disappear in a day or 2. The fatigue is biggest challenge for me. I always feel tired and its a tired that naps don't seem to cure.

We are in contact with Memorial Sloan Kettering and are making an appointment to go down for a second opinion. They do some amazing stuff down there and I want to make sure that I am getting the best treatment possible. I will keep everyone up to date on this front as well. (just in We have an appointment on August 31!)

We spent time in the Adirondack mountains last week. Our friend has a place on the shore of Schroon lake. It was great! Friends from North Carolina joined us who we haven't seen in while. It was very nice. We had great weather all week. We went on hike through the natural stone bridge and caves. Olivia rode on my back in the pack. She is very funny and remembers her time in China. When I took the pack out to put her in it she asked me if we were going to China. Olivia also had her first swim in big water as she called it. She loved to swim in the lake and play in the sand. She enjoyed playing with our friend Amy's twin boys. A good time was had by all...

I am back to work now but its going to be a short week due to treatment. I am looking forward to going to Saratoga a couple of times this month to watch the horse races and going to a couple of car shows weather permitting. The all Mustang show is coming up mid month.

Thanks to everyone for keeping me in your thoughts and prayers.

==Shawn