Only 1/365th...

The first Monday in May is designated "Melanoma Monday"----a day wherein those impacted by melanoma wear black (black is to melanoma what pink is to breast cancer) to increase awareness about a far too-often underestimated nemesis.

Trust me, melanoma is not "just skin cancer." Until very recent years, those diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma had a dire prognosis.  Our beloved Double Daddy was first diagnosed at stage 2a back in 2005, when long-term outlooks were less-than-positive. Our first oncologist (and I quote), "You better hope we can keep cutting it out. There are no demonstrably successful treatment options once melanoma goes rogue." Thankfully, that was then.

Four recurrences later (along with innumerable scans, surgeries, radiation, multi-organ biopsies, IL-2 and thankfully, future-impacting clinical trials), and stage 4 since 2012; today and forever to come, our tenacious, determined, fighting, ever-humorous, beloved Double Daddy is showing no evidence of disease. Our gratitude knows no bounds.

This weekend, our twins went to their 8th grade formal. They were in preschool at his initial diagnosis. Thanks be to God, to more nurses and clinicians than we can name, to Richmond Drs. Trent and Brown, to National Cancer Institute Drs. Rosenberg and Yang, Nurse Kathy Morton and all in the trial wing, to UVA Drs. Slingluff, Levine, Rich, and the inimitable, incredible Dr. Grosh, our overseeing, abundantly caring, indefatigable oncologist who's seen Scott (and our family) through from 2009 to the present day. To our family and friends, our continuing thanks for your love and support.

Melanoma may "get" 1/365th of the year to be acknowledged, but the remaining 364/365ths we'll spend celebrating with unbounded joy our freedom from that nasty black cancer.

Scott, you are my hero....and the kids', too.