Thanks Kathy!

 

Very much appreciated.

 

I finished the year on antibiotics earlier this year, and now appear to be free of the mycoplasma from my red blood cells.

 

However, 33 years of damage were already done, particularly to the lungs and other organs etc.  As my doctor finally told me after all the tests were completed, "There is some good news and some bad news.  The bad news is that you're not going to get any better. The good news is that you're not going to get any worse."  We're left with runaway heart fibrillation, controlled by medication, etc.  But it's certainly tolerable.

 

So I'm still on a little remedial oxygen, etc. but at least I made it.  Can't walk very far, or stand very long, stairs are a problem, trips around town okay but for any distance the pits, etc.  But hey!  One takes the hand one is dealt, and makes the most of it.

 

I will just continue to write and get out everything I can, and thanks to some very kind and hard-working folks will continue to put material on the website.  At least we can still do a little research, a little writing, lots of thinking, etc.  I'm grateful for that, and for continuing to be able to do something productive.

 

Also, so many kind folks have written and expressed condolences that it really does give one great pause and a sense of the innate goodness of life after all.  In spite of the scoundrels, this old world still has lots of really good people in it, who still do have consideration and good will toward they fellow human beings.

 

As long as things are this way, I just count my blessings and continue.  And I still get a chuckle when I think of a favorite admonishment from one of my bosses years ago.  His favorite was, "Hey! Consider the alternative!"   I still have a very warm and nice family, good friends, a good life, and work still needing to get done.

 

So we just consider the alternative, chuckle a bit, say a quiet little "Thank you!" to the Big Boss upstairs, count our blessings, and turn and get on with it.

 

Very best wishes,

Tom B.