Near the end of the old year, and coming to the beginning ofthe new year...

One final time in 2009 we are back in Seattle, for my final Avastin treatment this year. It's been just over six months since this medical mystery began for me, and I have at least seven months of Avastin and Temodar to go in 2010. My MRI's in 2009 have continously shown improvements in my brain's healing and conditions, so I am looking forward to the rest of the work. We can call the timing now close enough to halfway to look forward to the finish, that is for sure.

While some of it may never be known or understood, quite a bit has become clear to me. At the top of the list is the simple reality that people are a whole lot nicer and more helpful than I ever expected. I never thought of my outlook as negative; I simply didn't expect much of anything from much of anyone, and never worried about it much. The amount and types of love, support, caring, financial aid and other pure gifts provided to us can't be expressed adequately, but I will say that they came largely as a complete surprise to me. The fact that lots of people I've never even met wanted to help me when they heard about my glioblastoma multiforme issue continues to leave me staggered, though in a positive way. My friends and family I was not surprised by, though I am also greatly pleased there, because my connections and relationships have grown a great deal.

At the end of 2009, one thing is clear to me. While I will continue to do battle with the remote possibility of cancer within my skull, I will face it with a level of support from friend and relatives -- and people I don't even know yet -- that would have never occurred to me to even remotely exist before this past year.

To each and every one of you...thank you, and the best of 2010 for each of you.

Our deepest appreciation,

Dennis and Faith