Fluky Friday Flash

<> This morning I got up before dawn, ran my three miles along Riverside Drive, returned home and set down in front of the computer with breakfast in hand to check email. Waiting for me in my inbox was hands down the best news I've heard all year! My second cousin, Bob, who is like a living father figure to me (my real father passed away when I was a child) was diagnosed 8 1/2 years ago with multiple myeloma. It's a rare cancer of the immune cells of the bone marrow and blood. At the time they gave him 3-4 years to live. Thanks to a wonderful support group and excellent treatment from the Dana-Farber Cancer Clinic in Boston he is announcing that he is cured. This summer he had a pretty insane procedure done called an autologous stem cell transplant. They basically took the stem cells out of his bone marrow and transplanted them with isolated and condensed ones from his blood. He lost 30 pounds and all his hair from the radiation, but his test are finally back and there is no indication of any remaining cancer! This is truly an amazing story of survival and I'm trying to convince him to write a book about it. I'm so stoked for him and his family. What a great reminder for all of us to live, love and be thankful for what we have and those in our lives. Everyday is a gift!

<> Text message of the week:
(This is the funniest part of a lengthy conversation. Use your imagination)

Me: "You know... most pilots have big ones!"

Jeanie: "Oh well they do inflate as u go up so that makes sense."

<> Photo of the week:
(This is a series showing the type of drop ins that occur a LOT at NSB inlet in the crowd, click the photo to enlarge)