The best birthday present I could muster for my little brother

So this tube in my abdomen is pretty awesome.  I am draining 1-2 liters every day, and keeping the fluid down like this is amazing.  Not only that, but I get roughly 12 hours back in my week, not having to drive to Ann Arbor twice a week now.  My only complaint is that it is itchy as all get out, but I guess that's a good sign, right?  The pain is down considerably, and things seem to be getting better.

My little brother turned 27 yesterday (Happy Birthday Doug!) and this just happened to coincide with a trip to Ann Arbor for my monthly oncology/stab needles in my butt extravaganza.  The news is looking pretty darned great, actually.  My blood tests came back all within a normal healthy range.  The Khan was impressed with my energy levels as of late, and was even more impressed when she heard that I had mowed the lawn the day before.  To be fair, I did need to take some breaks, but I think that was more due to the soreness from the surgery site than anything.  She was happy to hear that I'm growing a garden, and likes that I'm trying to get more active.  In terms of treatment, she used words like years, instead of months!  She's impressed with the way that the cancer is responding to the treatment, and it gave me a lot of hope and reassured me.  She's going to send a referral to the West Michigan Cancer Center for me, so that I can start getting hooked up with treatments a bit closer to home.

So, to sum this all up, I hope you are all prepared to have to have me around for a bit longer than most anticipated.  I know this will disappoint some of you.  (Damn the lack of a sarcasm font)  I guess what I want to say more than anything else is thank you.  Thank you for taking the time to follow my inconsistently timed ramblings.  Thank you for your thoughts, words of encouragement, and prayers.  Thanks for your hugs.  Thanks for the donations of every kind, from gas cards, to ensure, to gift cards for groceries.  Thanks for putting on, donating to, and showing up for benefits.  I know that HB thanks all of you too.  We couldn't do this without all of your support.  So here's to years instead of months, more time to laugh and love, more hugs, and more memories.  I love and thank all of you so much.