Cancer Sucks. But You Make It Suck Less.

I will continue to chronicle our family’s journey with this blog, so please keep checking it. This journey is taking a turn that we must face, and we will continue to share it with you. You are in this with us. You give us love, support, and the power to face it together. I know that you share our sadness as Sandy’s fight intensifies, as well.

Cancer sucks. But you make it suck less.

Halloween in the 'Hood

Hannah and KC came up with the idea of being "cups of Rita's italian ice" for Halloween, and Sandy sprang to action. Together, Hannah and Sandy made these costumes in a few days, modeling them after a Rita's quart-sized container. It is just foam and fleece, and a little creativity. I am sorry I failed to think to take a picture of them making them.

For those of you who do not know, Rita's was one of the first things that Sandy was able to eat after "Anna Nicole" was removed from her central line menu. I am reminded of the infamous words of one Cosmo Kramer, "A cool and refreshing treat!" (Of course, that was Junior Mints.). Our friends Tom and Carol, who own the local Rita's franchise, heard that this was about the only thing Sandy could eat. They have generously delivered quarts of Rita's to our door since. What a great problem to have!

Hannah and Haley's horrific haunt, halted.

That's right... Haley's a Hippie.

Pumpkin Pi...

Update

I think it has been about 6 weeks since the last real update. I have had an incomplete, “draft only” update prepared for more than a few weeks, but every time I looked at it, it just seemed repetitive and boring.

I appreciate that the temptation is to try to read into the lack of an update—“Maybe this is a good sign that treatment is going well?” Or, “Oh no—Is this a bad sign?”—but I promise you that this is no sign at all…there really has been very little to report. Since Sandy has been feeling better and has been able to gain a healthy amount of weight, it has almost felt like a little break from the severity of the situation.

For the last couple of months, Sandy has continued treatment as described earlier. The lighter dose has been much more tolerable, and the cycle that includes a week of chemo and two weeks off has been fine. The growth factor (shot) at the end of each chemo cycle has become increasingly uncomfortable, and now causes pretty severe bone pain in Sandy’s back. The pain lasts a little longer each time and it now continues for more than a week. After about 7 or 8 days, the discomfort fades and she seems to enjoy a few days before her next cycle of chemo.

Even through this, she still manages to drive the girls to their practices, attend swim meets and gymnastics meets, and, of course, lacrosse tournaments (We have had a lot of help from other swimming parents who still drive most of the time to swim practices). The schedule never rests. I must confess that I have been amazed at her capacity to set her discomfort aside to make it to all of these events—and there is no shortage of events.

One bit of progress to report is that she continues to gain physical strength. Sandy walks most mornings with a group of ladies from the ‘hood. Lisa, Chris, and Ellen have Sandy on a course that logs between 3.5 - 4 miles each morning in an attempt to exercise themselves and the dogs. Riley certainly appreciates it. I think I’ll call them the Dog Ladies now, though I am not sure how they will take that. I do join them once in a while, so maybe I’m a Dog Lady, too. It’s okay, I am secure enough to face it. I also have a couple of pink shirts.

The good news is that she is nearing the end of this round of treatment. She had the shot last Wednesday (8 days ago), and the pain in her back was as severe as it has ever been. I am traveling as I write this—this time in San Jose, CA—and it seems from talking with her that the back pain is fading now. The plan is to take her final cycle of chemo starting next Wednesday. That will last a week, as the others have, and then that’s it. No shot, no fluids, no more chemo.

What then?

Well, I wish I could reply with something like, “Then she’s cured.” Maybe the best response is, “Then we go on with our lives.” That certainly feels more accurate.



PS-- I did not get ONE SINGLE COMMENT about the last post (Austin Powers)! I thought that was funny as crap.