Market Continues to Rally

Today the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 17,055. It is 13 points away from breaking its record high set on July 3rd. There was favorable news that Citigroup agreed to a $7 billion offer with the US Government. There is also news that the economy in Europe is sluggish and calls there are being made for more stimulus measures.

Of course this market will correct at some point. For now, the US stock market has the best risk/return ratio for investors. Here are a few reasons why interest rates will not be going up anytime soon:

1. Most economies across the world are still sluggish.

2. The US is the best place for investing in safe haven assets. As long as foreign buying of US Treasuries continues the rates will remain low.

3. The Fed and US Treasury continue their cycle of repaying old debt with more new debt. History may reveal this as the greatest pyramid scheme in history. They will not be the ones to orchestrate a rate hike knowing that their old debt will be paid off at higher rates. So far it has been working for them.

There are still tremendous investing opportunities in this market. Particularly the dividend paying blue chip stocks. Many of these companies are paying a 3% dividend and they are more stable than most banks.

Sometimes Life Happens...

On June 2, 2014 my life changed forever. I found myself in the emergency room, lying on a stretcher, having a discussion with the doctor. "It looks like you have leukemia," were his words to me. All I could do was lay there and receive it. I had suspected something was wrong which brought me to the hospital in the first place. That morning as I was ready to begin my day, I found I could not walk from one room to another without being extremely tired and had a rapid pulse. My symptoms started a few weeks earlier when people at work told me, "You don't look right." "But I feel fine," I thought. There were the simple aches and pains. I thought they were just from working around the house, maybe a little over exertion. That fateful morning I was already on my way to work. I thought about maybe working a half-day, and then going to see my doctor. Instead I decided to turn around and go to the ER. I am glad I did!

The doctor told me it looked like I have Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, or CLL. More tests would have to be done. My blood counts were extremely bad. My body was destroying its own red blood cells which were down to about 1/3 of normal. My white blood cells (WBCs) were extremely high. My platelets were almost non existent. It was a miracle I was still walking, talking, and even driving! They began to transfuse four units of blood into me. A bone marrow biopsy later confirmed the diagnosis.

I found myself talking to the Oncologist. The good news is that CLL is treatable. There are new chemotherapy medications which are available. I thought to myself: "Chemo? That is for sick people!" And I was extremely sick. The chemo was to begin the following week.

More importantly, as I lay on that stretcher, I turned to my Maker. I gave it all over to Him. I thought, "Lord, you have saved me in the past from some situations where I should be dead. You would not save me from those just to have this end in defeat. That is not how you work. I don't know what your plan is for me, but I will trust you."

As I am writing this I have completed three chemotherapy treatments out of six. I go again this week for my fourth treatment. The last three treatments are spaced one month apart. The side effects I experienced were like having a bad flu: nausea, vomiting, fever, chills. The first treatment had the worst side effects. The others had almost none. I received a total of seven units of blood. My lab work is looking better now and I am able to do more physical activity. My body does not seem to be destroying its red blood cells anymore. I am getting stronger every day. Many friends and family have prayed for me. Prayer is powerful!

I am starting a new blog: Combat Cancer which will have more info on this topic. Stay tuned for more about my comeback!