After nearly two months, the date of my long-awaited appointment with a second specialist arrives. To go to this appointment, my Lovely Wife and I fly to Omaha, Nebraska.

When I tell people I'm going to see a specialist in Nebraska, they sometimes seem dubious. I can see it on their faces: Nebraska? He's going to Nebraska? He should be going to Seattle, or Boston, or some big city.

Often, I find myself trying to explain that Nebraska Medical Center is one of the nation's NCI Cancer Centers, and is one of the best centers in the world for Lymphoma specifically. I'm not sure people believe me, but they at least humor me.

I have cancer, after all. They don't want to upset me.

So, the appointment comes, and I go into the room armed with my list of 1,376 individual questions I've prepared for just this day. The questions get answered...just maybe not the way I want them to be answered.

I've done my research. I have a good handle on my options. What I'm looking for at this point is some recommendations. Some opinions. Someone to say, "this is what you should do." Even if it's something I don't agree with, I can at least enter into a debate/discussion about options, and feel good about the process before we make a final decision.

Instead, my doctor is very compliant, understanding, and agreeable.

Would the Bexxar radioimmunotherapy clinical trial be a good option? Yes, it would. Would the Genitope vaccine clinical trial be a good option? Yes, it would. Would chemo without any kind of clinical trial be a good option? Yes, it would.

You get the idea.

Still, I've already somewhat made up my mind, and I know I'm most drawn to Bexxar, a radioimmunotherapy treatment that you do in two weeks. It's rarely been used as a first-line treatment, but in the cases where it has, it's produced some pretty amazing results. Two weeks of treatment, few immediate side effects, a minimal chance of long-term side effects (comparable to regular chemotherapy), and long, durable remissions. What's not to like?

I'm told the Bexxar trial I'm interested in is closing this week. In two days, to be exact. Okay, well, that's a bit of a curve ball. In my best of all possible worlds, I would have done Watch and Wait for six months or so, waited for the results of a vaccine clinical trial to be unblinded in November, considered all my options, then probably enrolled in the Bexxar trial anyway. After all, this trial has been open for something like three years. It's not going to close any time soon.

But see, this isn't my best of all possible worlds. Cancer is at least one clue that leads me to believe that.

Still, I'm looking on the bright side. My Lovely Wife and I have been praying for clear, specific direction on treatment. We've been asking for a sign from God what we should be doing. Could this not be a sign? To be at the only hospital offering this particular treatment, two days before the trial I've been most interested in is closing?

Considering all that, we sign the consent form for the Bexxar radioimmunotheraphy clinical trial, and look forward to starting treatment in just a few short weeks.

In retrospect, all of this was a sign from God, I believe. I just didn't read the sign correctly.