Alan, I kinda think that it will show early is best, but who knows? To me it
was just a logical step. As it was explained to me, kill the SOB, kill it
early, kill it quick, and attack both types of cancer cells. Do this while
your body is strong and do not let a foothold develop.

I remember these words: "Anyway that I dice and slice that mouse, all I see
dead tumor cells. I can not find any live cancer cells at all. I am
definitely encouraged."; "My job is to kill cancer. Your job is to tolerate
the treatment."; "It's a waiting game until we find the right combination
and right dosage without killing you; but we will find a cure in the near
future."; and finally, "You have an angel on your shoulder."

I watched guys in the same trial with me who did not start early and they
just did not have the strength to carry on. What I mean by this is they did
not have the strength to tolerate the combinations of poison delivered to
their bodies. There was almost a resignation of fate that stopping the
treatment was preferable to nausea and other side effects. I know that
sounds negative, but it was a common theme also shared by the nurses. With
this said, I wonder how many simply ceased to take the orals. In my opinion
the two (actually three) oral drugs were worse than the two infusion drugs
in terms nasty side effects. I lived on Zofran and Decadron to counteract
effects.

How long will I remain with good fortune? Only God knows. I cherish everyday
that I live a normal live and thank the Lord that I was referred to a guy
who has spent his entire medical career researching prostate and kidney
cancer.

I'll close with this: The day that my scan and two other confirming scans
showed two mets to my spine, I started reading mortality stats and
everything that I read gave me an average of 30 months. Dr A told me that he
could buy me 10 years - that he had plenty of silver bullets in his arsenal.
Fortunately I haven't had to use them. In my last conversation with him, we
talked about my five-year anniversity as his patient. I reminded him that he
had originally promised me ten years. His comment was that at this point, I
have gained an extra five years, that he could still can buy me ten more
years. So make that 15 years in all. Keep up the good work. Well, I hope Dr.
A keeps up the good work too. Fifteen years, not bad for someone with mets
at 58; I'll take 73.......

GD