Embracing Life

The countdown has begun toward a new treatment regimen, beginning on Monday. It is curious how life unfolds. On Thursday morning, I told Jill I believe that we should be embracing life to the fullest extent we are able. By that I mean that where we can enjoy life experience, and especially when we can connect with loved ones, we ought to be doing that. 

As a result of that conversation, we arranged to connect with two young couples who are dear to us. Then we got the news that I will be undergoing more treatment, beginning on Monday. My latest (yesterday) blood work shows that things are still wonky, but my ANC (a measure of immunity) is still in the "safe" zone. It will undoubtedly decline during the coming treatments, but for now it is as good as it can be. So, we are proceeding to make the most of this weekend by entertaining these lovely friends; one couple this evening, and the other tomorrow afternoon. 

In the meantime, I am remotely advising another young friend who is trying his hand at home brewing. Jill is having coffee with a dear friend as I write this. 

We have put more imagination into our exercise and have been walking along Rickreall Creek recently, instead of simply circling our little neighborhood. We hope to get to the nearby arboretum for a walk one day soon. It occurs to us that while we have life, we ought to live it as best we can. God intended for us to connect with people, so as long as my immunity is working, we are plunging ahead. And exercise is critical to maintaining my otherwise robust health, so my body can continue to fight the cancer. 

After a couple of years of pretty strict quarantine, first because of Covid19 and then because of immunocompromise, we are out of practice at this socializing, so I hope y'all will be patient. There are so many people we want to connect with, but how and when will depend on the level of my ebbing and flowing immune status. 

In the meantime, we continue to give thanks that

  1. I am not in pain.
  2. We have wonderful medical care.
  3. We have wonderful friends and neighbors who have been so supportive. 
  4. We have family who are walking this path with us. 
  5. We have a God Who is bigger than our biggest challenges. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows. (Psalm 23:4-5)

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Happy Anniversary

Today is our wedding anniversary. Jill has survived 21 years with me. Our marriage is old enough to drink!! In many ways, it seems like only a couple of years since our wedding day, and in other ways it seems as if we have always been us. This, I believe, is what is referred to in the fairy tales as "wedded bliss." Only, in our case, it isn't a fairy tale at all. It's just, well...wedded bliss. How I love that girl! A year ago today, I finished my induction chemotherapy at Club Sunnyside. Jill picked up German food at Gustav's, which is across the street from the hospital campus. She also picked up Bundt cakes from "Nothing Bundt Cake;" a little one for us and a big one for the oncology staff. It was as fine a celebration as we could muster under the circumstances, and one we will never forget.  Today we had a morning clinic visit. This time for Jill's blood pressure, which with the help of a new medication added to her regimen, is perfect, thank you...
Read more

A Dream Come True

Image
BOX SCORE Element Current Std. Range Trend Hemoglobin 11 13-17 ^ Platelets 89 140-375 v ANC 2810 1800-8300 ^ When I was a youngster, probably about 10 years old, my dad introduced me to model making. Mainly we built models from kits, but Dad also taught me how to make a stick and paper airplane from scratch. It actually flew, with the help of a rubber band motor. But one of my favorite plastic model kits was an MG-TD sports car. You may remember this car from your youth (if you are old, like me) or from old movies, or maybe from a car show. It was a little, English two-seater with long sweeping front fenders and a vertical grille. The windshield (well, windscreen, if you are Brit...
Read more

Don' be that guy!

Remember the Mighty Casey? In Ernest Lawrence Thayer's famous poem "Casey at the Bat," he was the pride of the Mudville baseball team. We join the story in the 9th inning:  The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day: The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play, And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game. The crowd was in despair. Down two in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, they were beginning to leave the stadium. The next two batters were the bottom of the order and offered little hope, but Flynn hit a single, and Blake a double. Suddenly, there was hope for the Mudville nine, for the top of the order, none other than the mighty Casey, was coming to bat with two men in scoring position. Even a base hit would keep the game alive, and a home run, well that would end it in a glorious, ecstatic victory.  Now Casey, apparently, had embraced the hype about hi...
Read more