We are still awaiting the results from Jon's PET scan. Dr. Gosswami will be calling us with the report, hopefully today. Jon is feeling somewhat better and has already gained 10 pounds this past week. He was seriously dehydrated from this last round of chemo so much of that was water. He's eating regularly and able to hold down (and in!) all of his food.

I returned from my cycling fundraiser in Tahoe early this morning. I am still trying to find the words to describe the experience. My team has trained together since February and we have formed a connection that is only brought about by the shared hardship that unites those fighting cancer. The event, a 100 mile endurance bicycle ride, was open to the public however 90% of the 2500 participants were Team In Training members from all over the country. We flew from Seattle to Tahoe together and shared the same hotel. My roommate was a women named Sophie, a french pediatric oncologist who lost her 13 year old sister to brain cancer when she was 15. She is known by the team as "the happiest person we've ever met" We shared all of our meals, free-time and did a practice ride on Saturday morning. When our team captain, Russ, discovered that Elizabeth had ended up in the emergency room Friday night (don't worry she's doing better and they finally figured out what's wrong with her stomach) he dedicated our practice ride to Jon for his battle with cancer and asked everyone on the team to also support me both as Jon's advocate/caretaker and Elizabeth's Mom who was far from home with a sick daughter. I had seriously considered flying home after our practice ride Saturday night but was unable to get any flights until late Sunday. Our practice ride was the first leg of our journey and included a steep road of switchbacks which ended in a beautiful view of Lake Tahoe. That night, Elizabeth was released for the ER with finally the right prescriptions and beginning to feel much better.

The entire town was filled with TNT members...everywhere you look were people fighting cancer and working to raise money for a cure. We had a huge Pasta Party Saturday night honoring the participants. It started with all of the coaches from across the country lining the hallways and cheering wildly as we participants walked into the banquet room. As you entered two large screens on either side of the podium flashed pictures of all the honored and memorialized friends and family members. It broke my heart to see all the small children with cancer and I cried throughout most of the dinner. There were many inspirational speakers who survived cancer, raised money, and provided research. All of the cancer survivors in the room were asked to stand and we gave them a sitting ovation.

We awoke the next day at 4 am to have a big team breakfast and be on the road by 6. Each team started in waves and our turn was at 6:40. It's quite a sight to see all those cyclists from all over the country sporting their custom jerseys and wearing silly representations of their homeland on their helmets (we had umbrellas, New York had big apples, PA Hershey kisses, etc) As we rode through South Tahoe the streets were lined with people cheering. One women was sitting in a wheelchair holding a thank you sign while her husband cheered us on. As we moved out of the city and into the mountains the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.

During our practices the team was divided up into riding groups according to our cycling speed. I rode with David, Stephanie, and Darlene who had somehow decided it was their personal mission to make this the best ride of my life. Each of them had been profoundly affected by cancer and knew exactly where I was physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We road in our usual pace lines (you know when you ride fast and close together to pick up more speed and endurance) but no one would let me pull very long and constantly checked on my stamina. David hovered over me most of the way like a mother hen. I'm always used to being the strong one of the group but on this occasion found great peace and comfort in their support. We met up with the rest of our team at each rest stop where we fueled up and cheered each other on. I was pleased to see all the "nubie" cyclists making it through the course!

As an honoree Jon's name was inscribed on all of our jerseys. I also had pinned his famous bicep flexing picture with my rider number on my water backpack. Stephanie had a picture of her beautiful 10 year old son who she had lost to leukemia. Darlene had a picture of her father, Jack, as well as a host of ribbons for all of the friends and family members battling cancer. At the top of Spooner Pass, an 8 mile climb to 6800 feet at our 85 mile mark, the second half of our "fast group" waited for us. They asked me to lead the group in and be the first to cross the finish line. We all cried, hugged, and drank a beer while we awaiting the arrival of the rest of our team.

I flew home late Sunday night so I could help get Elizabeth on the mend and be here for the PET scan results (still waiting). The rest of my team returned today. I really did think of Jon enduring all of those chemos when I climbed every hill.

I have learned more about the strength of the human spirit then I ever thought possible. I personally witnessed a beautiful young women with one leg cross the finish line. I now realize more than ever the importance of fundraising for continued research. The cure rate for Leukemia and Lymphoma has improved tremendously because of TNT and events like this. The procedure Jon will have for his liver would have been impossible a year ago, but through efforts of individuals such as these miracles can happen. This year to date TNT has raised nearly 8 million for cancer research. One individual from New York personally raised $54,000 for this event.

Thank you again to everyone who called, text, emailed, sent positive thoughts, prayers and, of course, money. It was the experience of a lifetime!