Just Another Day

O.K. I know i've been very remiss in keeping this blog updated!

I realized the other day that this is because cancer has just become a part of our everyday lives. Going to the doctor, having tests, chemotherapy, just another item on our to-do list. Monday: meeting at 10 a.m., exercise at 11 and take Andrew to get hooked up for his 6th chemo treatment at noon, go back to work, take him home at 3 p.m., cook dinner, watch t.v. go to bed.

Andrew has it figured out that while doing chemo that he can drive until lunchtime on day two; three days in - no dog walking, four days in not much of anything; Two day's after the chemo's done he knows he'll start to feel better. Driving and dog walking on day three. By seven days out he'll be pretty much back to normal. During the most recent rotation through he taught school on day three after treatment. Nobody knew. People all say "Andrew you look so normal, its hard to remember what you are going through." I came home on day two of this session and found him upstairs painting the sunporch. I'm so tired I can barely keep up with my life but he just keeps acting like the Energizer bunny. But I'm not complaining.

Having him be so normal, of course, makes it easy to forget that cancer is in our lives. And everyday we think as little about it as we have to--- and some days its not much at all. These past fews weeks we have been enjoying another "cooling off period." Soon after we got back from vacation he had the PET Scan, endoscopy, and biopsy that verified that the treatment was working. Tumor shrinking, no cancer cells in biopsy--- looking good. Doctor decided two more courses of chemo, which he just completed.

Our doctor also sent us to see another surgeon to see if maybe that might be an option now. But no go on that! The surgery would be very difficult and the results would maim and disfigure him for life. Voice box, swallowing mechanism, windpipe and pretty much everything between the top of the tongue to just below the tumor would have to go. (The thought of Andrew without a voice was far more than I could get my head around.) So we opted not. Especially since even after all that no one could guarantee that it would be a cure.

Chemo now is our only weapon --- and it seems to be doing its job. Next week he'll go back and be retested and we'll know for sure. So in the meantime we'll just keep plugging away: go to work, walk the dogs, make dinner, watch t.v., tend the garden, laugh with friends. . . nothing special going on here ---.but I promise, I'll let you know if there is.