It’s been a long time.

[Tom Galli]

My family lives scattered around Florida. I haven’t seen my granddaughter in 16 months and a visit was long overdue. Vaccinated, I booked a flight in early April. Then I read of the 4th wave after spring break and rethought the advisability of sitting elbow-to-elbow, even masked, in a thin metal tube, sealed at both ends, that is in reality an airliner.

Friday I got in my car and drove 1,030 miles from Rockwall Texas to Leesburg Florida and visited brother #3, Bill and his wife Robin. Then we met my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter on Sunday for a grand brunch at quaint Mt. Dora. Now I’m writing this from Longwood Florida and staying the week getting reacquainted with my granddaughter, Charlott. Then the whole Galli clan meets next Saturday for a beach reunion at brother #4 in Atlantic Beach, Florida. I’ll motor home Monday.

I’m trying to keep up with everyone’s posts but connectivity while traveling and at less tech savvy brother’s homes is spotty.

This is the second day of Hope Month for Lung Cancer Survivors and caregivers. Hope is so very important in besting our horrible disease. There is the fundamental belief that treatments will work and rid us of lung cancer, or stop it from progressing. Then there is the “wish and a prayer” component of hope—that research will find a medicine or treatment to rid us of our disease. True, there are long odds but these outcomes are more than possible, they are probable. Almost every day we see an advance. Almost every day I read about a doctor who stretched a little bit, or a survivor who suggested a treatment and benefited. Hope is a powerful human trait. In the classic movie Shawshank Redemption, Andy, unjustly convicted of two murders and confined to mind numbing concurrent life sentences in a horrible prison, only had hope. But with his hope, he developed a deliberate plan to escape and make a new life. And when Red moved the obsidian rock and opened the tin, he read Andy’s letter conveying instructions for joining him. The letter’s close are words that every survivor and caregiver should recite every day: “Hope is a good thing, and good things never die.”

May hope be with you as you stay the course.

Tom

 

[Jesse L.]

Good to see that you're enjoying life and family. And you deserve it too; you've certainly paid your dues and deserve every good thing that comes your way. May the rest of your vacation be better than expected and I'm sure we'll be hearing from you regularly once you get back home. 

Veteran to veteran...take care now...

First Sergeant, USAR, 34 yrs., (ret.)

[TJM]

What can I say. Beautiful post Tom. Beautiful.

As always.....I will stay the course.

Peace

Tom

[BridgetO]

Ir sounds like q wonderfuo trip. Your life gives hope to a lot of us.

[LexieCat]

Enjoy!!

[LouT]

Tom,

It sounds like you had a great visit.  I'm so glad for you.  I was set to go and visit my son and daughter-in-law for their anniversary today, but kidney stones kept me from going.  Driving over 1000 miles is no easy feat.  When I was young, I loved driving and the longer the trip, the better.  Now if I'm in a car for more than two hours my "tail starts whipping like an angry cat".  Anyway, congrats on getting away.

Lou

[Judy M2]

Lou, hope you get over those nasty kidney stones quickly! My husband has had to be hospitalized for every attack, and they always send him home too soon and we have to go back same day. Feel better soon. 

[LouT]

Thanks Judy,

It seems I'm like your husband.  They've put me in the hospital 4 times and I almost died of Sepsis once.  We're being proactive with these Left is 19mm, Right is 10mm.  So they will endoscopic to remove the left (through the back, directly into the kidney) and 10 days later use Laser Lithotripsy.  Each will have an overnight stay and stents...But I'll be glad to have them both gone.  

Lou