So Mike, how are you feeling?

[Jenise]

From a comment you made in the What's Cooking thread, I gather you're back at work which is wonderful--earlier than originally predicted, I believe. All must be going well?

Things have gone extremely well for me, Jenise. I was fortunate to avoid any significant side effects from the procedure and probably could have gone back to work a month earlier than I did, which was a couple of weeks ago. I've felt as good as ever for quite some time now, and getting back to work was not an issue at all. Hair's starting to grow back, but at this point I'm going with the Walter White look and keeping it clipped very short. It's by far the most fashionable haircut I've had in decades.

So everything's pretty much back to normal now. Tests indicate that I'm officially in remission. The disease will come back one of these days, but it's likely to be a period of years before it does (maybe two, maybe ten). I have to say that feeling normal really feels great.

I've also started a fitness program designed for people who are coming off of cancer treatments. The idea is to get your body as strong as possible, with the idea that this will help extend remission. I'm in it with a couple of women who recently went through breast cancer treatments. Our trainer has both specific education and experience in dealing with cancer patients, so the program is tailored to individual needs. I don't know if there are similar programs to this one in other parts of the country (our is a non-profit called Triumph Fitness), but I would urge anyone who's been through this sort of thing to see if they can find one. I'm already in better shape than I was a couple of years before this whole business started.

Thanks for checking in with me, and thanks to all of you for your support.

Hooray! Relieved to hear it.

Yeah, that's great. Are you off the wagon yet?

Mike,
So glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery. Hopefully in remission for a long long long time..
-Shaji

Lou - I was kept off of alcohol while in the hospital, but I've been back on it since a couple of days after getting home. Overall diet was a bit restricted for the first month after getting home, but after that I was back to eating whatever I wanted.

[Robin Garr]

Yippee! Great news!

Fantastic!

Mike, I have been wondering, and probably, most of us here have been, as well. Jenise had the guts to ask and for that, I am grateful to hear that your are feeling and doing so well. Keep up the good work and positive thoughts. You are a gentleman, and a positive influence on this site.....it is appreciated.

Thanks again, everyone. All those positive thoughts coming my way helped.

[Jenise]

"Officially in remission". That's WONDERFUL news, and just what we were all hoping to hear. And the lifestyle changes sound very positive too.

Congratulations, Mike! May you enjoy many more years of good food and wine.

Mark Lipton

Great!

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

[David M. Bueker]

Great news. Congratulations!

Mike, great news!

Good to hear!

Wonderful news Mike ! Glad to hear it and continue to send best wishes.

Great news!

Any changes in palate? I've had friends that went through that sort of thing and they had to recalibrate their taste sense a bit. Not all of them, but some. Took a little while to regularize.

Maybe if you submit it to a concentrated tasting regime.....

As far as I can tell, I had no changes to my sense of taste or smell. This may be due to the fact that I only received one big dose of a chemo drug rather than numerous smaller doses over a longer period of time.

Of course, in terms of my ability to identify wines, any changes to my palate could only have helped!

[Jenise]

As far as I can tell, I had no changes to my sense of taste or smell. This may be due to the fact that I only received one big dose of a chemo drug rather than numerous smaller doses over a longer period of time.

Of course, in terms of my ability to identify wines, any changes to my palate could only have helped!

Speaking of wine, friends served another wine from Obscurity Cellars the other night, a recent vintage (2010?) Carmenere. Highly reccomended! It was textbook Carmenere, cabernetish with extra chocoolate and cactus flavors and a good dry finish. Very impressive.