Friends,

It has been more than a month since my last update. Hard to believe! We have, of course been very busy. In my last update, I told about running. Well I suffered for two weeks from that running. I was barely able to walk. The doctor said it was bursitis in both knees. I had to walk with a cane for two weeks afterward. It eventually healed, and I am able to walk normally now.

Our training has continued, with workouts on the beach, in the pool and on the road. Last Saturday, we rode up Scripps Poway Parkway from close to Rt 15. The big hill on this route is 2.25 miles long at about a 5% grade. If that wasn’t hard enough, there was a 10 to 15 knot wind blowing straight down the hill. Menchie and I led most of the team up the hill. The downhill with a tailwind was an absolute RIOT. I hit 47.7 mph, probably the fastest I have gone on the road. I ended up with about 22 miles and 1800 feet of climbing. It was a great ride. The next day we did a time trial on Fiesta Island and I rode at 15mpg for 12.3 miles. A major achievement for me. Menchie rode at 16mph. She was awesome.

I have had several doctor visits since the last update. The first was when I started to pass out while sitting in my office at work. Menchie came to get me, but we ended up taking an ambulance to Balboa hospital emergency room after I started passing out in the car. My doctors now suspect that I have neuropathy in my autonomic nervous system. Tests are under way to see. I will have a tilt table test in March. I am taking medication, to help control the orthostatic hypotension now, and it seems to be helping. The thyroid medicine seems to be working well too. I got my swine flu shot and have gotten a couple of colds too, so I have been battling viruses most of the month.

Last Thursday was a medical day. I started out at the hospital getting lab work done. Then I was at the dentist office getting a cast made to get my dentures adjusted. I rushed off to the hospital again for a doctor appointment. That appointment turned out great. My doctor was very pleased with my condition. He said that the Graft Vs Host Disease on my tongue was the best that it has been, but he said I had a mild case of GVHD on my legs, manifesting as shiny leathery looking skin. After that appointment, I got a Rituxan treatment for 5 or 6 hours, then I went to Cardiology to turn in a halter monitor I had been wearing for 24 hours. After that, it was back to the dentist to get my adjusted teeth. So 6 medical appointments in one day! We were tired afterward.

My job is going well, although the organization I am in incurred a huge budget cut this year, so I am in the unfortunate position of trying to help them reduce their expenses, and one of the only ways to do that is to reduce the numbers of contractors working there. In other words, ME. Unless more money turns up, I will be out of a job by June at the latest, quite possibly sooner. So I am again looking for new employment. If anyone knows of any opportunities, I would certainly be interested.

Our fundraising is also going well, although we still have over $2000.00 we need to raise. I am committed to doing this even if I loose my job, so we still need lots of help. Fortunately, we have gotten all the equipment we need for our triathlon, and have paid for the hotel. We still have to buy plane tickets for the trip too. All donations are important and contribute a great deal to research, patients, and my own financial well being. For those who have donated, please accept our heartfelt gratitude. If you want to contribute to our cause, the following links can help:

Donate at http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/lavatri10/twilcoxzdf.
Do your holiday shopping at http://tedwilcox.mytnt.org.
Buy GREAT coffee at http://www.easywebautomation.com/app/?af=1096717.

If you would prefer to send us a check, please make it payable to “LLS” and we will send it in. If you hurry and make your donation, you can claim it as a deduction for your 2009 taxes.

I don’t have the lab work from my recent checkup, but it was very normal.

On the medical front, I am taking Levothyroxine, a thyroid medication now, Vitamin D pills, and Midodrine to help with the orthostatic hypotension. I am still taking CellCept also, of course.

We want to wish everyone Peace, Happiness, Joy, a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

Ted and Menchie Wilcox

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