From The Computer Room

Hi all,

Dino here. It's almost 6:30 AM and I've been up for an hour after actually getting 4-5 hours worth of sleep (more than in any of the past 3 nights).

Tough to type as I have an electrode sensor attached to my left index finger, but I'll deal for a moment.

I have read all your comments and got all your emails and calls and texts. Thanks again for being such an amazing support system. Kuato has three (interminably long) days left in his ugly and thankfully short existence and like you, I will be counting the hours (literally) until Monday morning.

I have actually gone the last 10 hours without a shot of morphine (or Sister Mo, as I prefer to call it) and did okay in the sleep department, although my stomach is pretty huge, distended and painful. Save the jokes about how "it's always been that way!" -- this is really a different story. I can't wait to get this cancer out of me... now it's just biding time and managing pain until Monday morning.

Rest assured I will get back on the morphine train shortly -- I just want to try to keep the urge for constant self-medication under control so that it doesn't get out of hand by Sunday night. Also, I'm finding that while it's really easy to 'space out' on the Sister Mo, it's hard for me to actually sleep when I'm riding that wave. Thus, no morphine over last night.

Anyway -- I know that some of you will be interested in calling and/or visiting over the weekend, and while I thank you for that, I should tell you that you should probably wait until the surgery is over before you come by. My stomach and breathing pain is such that I can't talk much and I spend most of my time conserving my energy, just trying to get comfortable. So, the visitors that I will have this weekend (mostly family) already know that I won't be real good company. My suggestion to the rest of y'alls is to hold off until Wednesday or later, when I am in recovery, before coming to visit if possible.

Well, it took a good bit of effort to walk down to this computer room, so I don't know whether or not I'll come back in the next 3 days to post another update. Please know that I am feeling everyone's thoughts and prayers loud and clear, we're in the hands of amazing experts here, and we're gonna beat this thing, no matter how long it takes.

My dad will continue to post updates as needed, so as always, this is the best place to come for all your Dino informational needs!

With much love to everyone,
Dino