Dave Getting Stronger: MLK

Monday, January 21, 2008

MLK

I love what this holiday represents. I love that there is about to be a non-president (for the first time) honored with a Mall Memorial and he is one of our country's greatest sons, and he is a black man. I love the thought of our country taking a collective breath today and contemplating that the pursuit of Liberty is best embodied by the accomplishments of one of our greatest sons, and he is a black man. I love that the major presidential candidates include a woman, a morman, and a black man.

I'm feeling good and wish you all a happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...: We're thinking of you and Liza and know you're gonna beat this. You're in terrific hands at Hopkins. -- Robin and Scott Weisman; January 21, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Anonymous said...: We are sending you all of our best wishes for this upcoming round. You are quite simply amazing. --Maureen and Scott; January 21, 2008 at 1:24 PM
Unknown said...: David, Thank you for reminding me to take a breath today, to stop working for a moment and think about the big picture. Well said. XO EAH; January 21, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Anonymous said...: Great thought of the day, my friend. :) I promise my next mix for you will have U2's "MLK" on it, one of my fave tunes of all time. Also great seeing you this morning! Nothing like celebrating the day drinking coffee and watching the kiddies play - now THAT's a holiday. :)

Wishing you and Liza much success and strength in this next round.

I'll leave you with two quotes from MLK himself:

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

"If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you to go on in spite of all. And so today I still have a dream." ~Martin Luther King, Jr., The Trumpet of Conscience, 1968

Your dream is alive, Dave Holder! Let's get back to beating this thing!!!

PLOW ON

XO
CMF; January 21, 2008 at 7:57 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi David - I'm a friend of Elizabeth and a regular reader of your blog and I intended to say hello and introduce myself before now but, well, I didn't know quite what to say. But I spent a good part of today thinking about Dr. King's legacy and remembering that I have to be the change I want to see in the world, and then I read your blog post. So I'm writing to say hello and to let you know that I - and I guarantee there are dozens of others like me - am a friend of your amazing sister and I am out here, rooting for you, praying for you, sending faith, strength and FIGHT to you and your family. With all best wishes, Kristen Brown; January 22, 2008 at 1:22 AM

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Thank You!

The most important order of business is to thank you for your generosity, kindness, support, love and prayers. I love you.

Liza, Eli, Reed, Ruby, Mom, Dad, Elizabeth, Annie, Rob, Finn, Emily, Elaine, Robin, Leon, Anne, Juana, Bill, Ellen, Charlotte, Freddie, Alison, Lila, Thomas, Jay, Allison, Tammy, Todd, Catherine, Todd, Karen, Stuart, Christian, Laurie, Gary, Nicole, Eric, Kil, Jenny, Mel, Ross, BCP, Lara, Charlotte, Peg, Tansy, Brian, Mike, Cristina, Chip, Geoff, Rob, Mary, Joel, Carol, Mike, Sally, Dave, Marvin, Patty, Jeff, Adam, Linda, Ed, Gail, Steve, Phyllis, Steve, Becky, Alan, Twiddy & Co., Jeff, Pam, Dee, Justine, Charlie, Dr. Levin, Billy, Jen, Eli, William, Colleen, Andy, Carla, Alex, Plato, Dr. and Mrs. Mac, Patrick, Dana, Chris, Chris, Dave, Andy, Stacie, Susan, Pam, Amy, Dennis, ACM, Jamie, Dudley, Bill, May Moms Group, George, Betsy, Michael, Karen, Billy, Wendy, Stuart, Ellie, Caren, Raj, Eric, Ray, Mary, Abby, Deeba, Mark, Oliver, Tyler, Lindsay, Tristan, Matt, Sandra, Dan, Seema, Vinny, Dianne, Nigel, Tina, PT, Brian, Ross, Andy, Tom, Barb, Peter, Helen, Adam, Corey, Emily, Jane, Marshamallow, David, Jenny, Kira, Gregorio, Emma, Janet, Jeff, Stacey, Pilar, Pat, Mimi, Dave, Karen, Tom, Steve, Emily, Gerardo, Nurses at BLES-2, Jesse, Andrew, Doug, Leigh, Dave, Shelley, Shel, Raffi, Shani, Jerry, Jim, Kyle, Cassandra, Steve, Pat, Phil, Liz, Shari, Karen, Tom, Shelley, Pat, Jimmy, Ann, Jamie, Kevin, Michael, Paula, Dana, Dave, Sophie, Eli, Lisa, Pam, Michael, Marc, Deedee, Robert, Katherine, Ellen, Amy, Matt, Andrew, Bill, Harry, Sue, Margaret, Jim, Peter, Dave, Nancy, Larry, Sandy, Carly, Kraig, Liza, John, Risa, Mike, Julie, Paul, Ron, Nava, Andy, Stephanie, Howard, Sharon, Howie, Janie, Toni, Earl, Suzette, Joel, Alex, Trish, Mabel, Nancy, Robyn, Scott, Michelle, Rachel, Deborah, Jeff, Judy, Larry, Diane, Joey, Sheila, Les, Danielle, Raj, Eric, Abby, Deeba, Mark, Lila, Burck, Marty, Sarah, Erik, Annie, Josh, Beth, Marc, Ana, Sulli, Sara, Annika, Steve, Maria, Maureen, Scott, Andrew, Elizabeth, Jenny, Dave, Jack, George, Mark, Marilyn, Jed, Michelle, Sol, Elaine, Kamran, Terry, Jim, Willie, Sandy, Simon, Ericka, Shane, Janet, Paul, Wesley, Chip, Angelo, Victor, Julie, Patrick, Phyllis, Alex, Buffy, Mary, Janet, Paul, Judy, AJ, Marullus, Kippy, Pedro, Allyson, Rachel, Leslie, Dan, Emily, Eric, Susan, Harry, Roz, Gary, David, Andrea, Elias, Leslie, Chris, Mr. and Mrs. B, Anthony, Ty, Elisabeth, Debra, Tom, Jon, Phil, Gail, Linda, Crickett, Brad, Gus, Deya, LaJerne, Marci, Ethan, Ann, Frauke, Hermione, Judith, Margaret, Huber & Weakland, Sheri, Beth, Dan, Kleins, Barbara, Bill, Marge, Jeb, Jeff, Judith, Sarah, Jon, Amy, Boz, Ian, Ivy, Polly, Laura, Carle, Alice, Michael, Sandra, Pete, Patty, Margaret, Judy, Lucille, Geoff, Lucille, CustomInk.com, Amy, Paulette, Ann, Margie, Charlie, Chip, Beth, Matthew, Brian, Tasha, Karianna, Cliff, Kate, Steve, Marci, Justin, Nancy, Charlie, Mike, Sonia, Karen, Tom, Sarah, Sam, Deanie, Tom, Kitty, Nancy, John, Jill, Tad, Dini, Ryan, Lindsey, Nan, John, Eileen, Jimmy, Jason, MaryCate, Daniel, John, Christiane, Patrick, Kari, Jeffrey, Michael, Lynn, Ed, Lucille, Julie, Stephen, Renee, John, Paulette, Michael, Aneita, Malik, Refugio, Ginny, Jamellah, Nina, Richard, Omar, Eleanor, Cassie, Greg, Kathleen, and the list goes on and on.

I am humbled and emotional every day just thinking of how you all are working to make this challenge as easy as possible for me and Liza. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Diagnosis

I was diagnosed with "Stage III Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma NOS" in August 2007, at 34 years old, with an amazing wife, two kids, loving dog, and generally feeling (as I continue to so feel), as blessed as anyone on this earth.

Stage III means the cancer is in more than one place (my abdomen and clavical), but not in my bone marrow. T-Cell Lymphoma is standard cancer of the lymph node system. N.O.S. means "not otherwise specified", or not one of the standard forms of T-Cell cancer, but somewhat understood nonetheless.

I am going through CHOP chemotherapy until late November. If all goes well, then the cancer will be killed and I'll be back to normal. If there are unexpected hurdles along the way, then I'm in excellent hands with world-wide Lymphoma experts at Georgetown, Hopkins, and Sloan Kettering.

Dave Getting Stronger

Monday, January 21, 2008

MLK

5 comments:

Thank You!

Diagnosis

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