When this journey began back in October, I set a goal. I was going to ring the bell. But to earn that I had to face what lay ahead. Thirty three times I would lay down on that table and be hit with radiation. That radiation would be targeted at my tongue and throat. Included in the protocol would be as many chemo treatments as my body can handle. Though I was warned how hard that treatment would be, I had my goal.

As the number of radiation treatments piled up, my condition deteriorated. Eventually chemo was no longer an option. We would have to settle for only four of the seven treatments they had planned. Next hurdle was my ability to get down enough calories without going to a feeding tube. Though definitely the most difficult part of the journey, I cleared that hurdle. Yesterday, I crossed off the thirty-third radiation treatment, walked out of the room, and rang the bell. I wasn’t there alone. My radiation team, my two daughters, my wife, and even my two grand-kids joined with me as I rang it. And then when I rang it again!

As I stood there at the finish line, I knew I had not accomplished this on my own. The support of my family was always there. When I grew weak, they grew stronger in their commitment to keeping me going. When I reached out in this blog, you the readers, gave me strength through your messages and prayers. If it had been possible, I would have invited you all to the ringing.

I want to say that ringing the bell signified that it was all over. That it meant a clean bill of health. That crossing the finish line meant the tumor was gone. The truth is that getting to ring the bell marked the end of the first half of the journey. The healing process now lies ahead. These next two weeks will be the hardest. My body is weak. I am fatigued and still plagued with the aftermath of all that radiation. Healing will start, but slowly. Never the less, yesterday WAS significant. I can start to look ahead. The true finish line will be crossed three months from now. I will take that long to heal to the point where they can take another CT scan. My hope, my belief, my prayer, is that CT scan will show the tumor gone. I will be a cancer survivor!

Yesterday WAS significant. Tomorrow and every day after are important. Each day will take me one step closer to my final goal. Cancer free!