Well, yesterday evening (see yesterday’s post, the second one) was very emotional for me and, when he got home from work, for Stefano, too. As soon as I’d finished telling him about Dr. Bradner’s research, we just hugged. We’re not alone in our joy, either. From the reactions I’ve read on Facebook, private messages I received and the comments left on yesterday’s post, the Jay Bradner video has bowled over other members of the myeloma family…many of us!

My feet are back on the ground now. Well, truth be told, even last night, as happy as I was, I realized that we won’t be slathering our bodies with these molecules any time soon…But, as my friend LPC wrote to me, Dr. Bradner’s research really gives us HOPE. Concrete hope. And we know how important HOPE is in a cancer patient’s life…Just read or re-read Prof. Stephen Jay Gould’s essay (the link is in yesterday’s post, the first post I wrote…). Prof. Gould points out (from memory) this well-known fact, which cannot be explained: patients who never lose hope live longer and do better than those who do (lose hope, that is). That’s why I recommend a belly laugh every day. And that’s why I’ve been seeing my card-playing, game buddies a lot lately. I’m getting picked up in about a half hour, in fact, so I have to hurry. Anyway, we need to have fun and de-stress as much as possible…

I recently heard this pretty song sung by Luciano Pavarotti: http://goo.gl/zr30C I tried to find a proper English translation…but failed. So I translated, more or less, a few of parts I liked the best, including the opening, which sounds better, I must say, in Italian…Still, I found this song/tune so joyful, so hopeful, that I thought it would be appropriate for my state of mind right now:

“Good morning to this day that’s waking up today with you, Good morning to the milk and the coffee, Good morning to those who aren’t here…”

“It’s a new day, and who knows if the world will change…and will dance!” 

“But it is dancing (through?) life that you will learn that every great purpose is a step you take. It’s a new day for you, too…Celebrate it with me!” 🙂

One last word or two: I have the full study in my possession, and I began going through it as soon as I got home from work today. But I’m only about halfway done. Not enough for a post. And now I have to go get ready for a fun-filled evening. Oops, I’m late! Stay tuned….more tomorrow…Ciao! 🙂