Health Update/ Oct. 6, 2011/One year later.....

(Heading photo taken in Seattle two weeks ago)

 Dear All,

It was an upbeat, matter of fact kind of conversation with Dr. Savage a year ago today that initiated this cancer journey. “The bone marrow biopsy shows that you have a rare and indolent cancer of the blood,” she announced calmly, “It’s a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma called Waldenstrom’s.”  I remember feeling devoid of all emotion; I had no idea what she was talking about.  “Indolent”, “non-Hodgkin’s”, “lymphoma” were totally new terms, but these ominous words frightened me, and several days passed before I could even begin to decipher what this meant.

 “What are you going to do?” friends would ask, and, little by little, with the help of  many of you, I formulated what my father would call “The Game Plan”. Like most women I know, I have spent a lifetime taking care of others, so at first this new focus was difficult for me. However, it soon became apparent that I had no choice. The anemia and high blood viscosity zapped my mental and physical energy; increasingly, the house and garden, dogs and even social interactions became burdensome. Naps took over housework, silent walks replaced social engagements, and apathy flip-flopped with anxiety.  I felt vulnerable on the one hand and yet at the same time I felt a growing mental energy to fight this battle with all I had. It was a challenge similar, in many ways, to the one I had undertaken ten years earlier when I decided I wanted to teach in Costa Rica. First I had to understand the challenge I was up against and then I had to strategize and take action. I did this, and you know the story up until now.

My August News Update said I was in remission and everything was hunky-dory. That has now changed a bit. I returned to my Seattle oncologist two weeks ago and her response to my lab report was, “Ruth your numbers are good, but not great.” She suggested I go on a two-year maintenance of Rituxan  that will involve one infusion every twelve weeks, so that’s what I plan to do. I’ll return to my naugahyde nest next week to begin the maintenance plan. The Rituxan doesn’t excite me much, but I have to say I am looking forward to the twenty-four hour Dexamethasone aftermath….stay tuned for some new writing!

OK, enough about cancer. A month ago I moved to an apartment in NE Portland that is a thirty-minute walk from Hope and Peter’s house. The antics, questions, stories, and endless giggles of Jude and Auggie are the best medicine I know of. The other day August captured two woolly bear caterpillars. “What do they eat?” I asked. “Granny, ask your phone!” he responded. He’s four-years-old! Ask my phone! Sure enough, we learned, among other things, that woolly bears eat grass. Jude’s main event of the day was his soccer game. At dinner that night, Jude shared that he had scored all seven goals in that day’s game and was told by the coach that he should wait for the other forwards to catch up with him and work at passing the ball more. “I know I should do that,” he smiled sheepishly, “ but I like to get goals!” Age four and seven! Wow, am I ever fortunate to be sharing my days with these great kids!

I know some of you have been interested in what I’ve been reading. It’s an introspective time for me and I have resonated with Phil Cousineau’ s philosophy in The Art of Pilgrimage. For those of you who might be interested, I’ll attach my notes from the book. Then you’ll know whether or not you’d want to read the book. My favorite quote is: “Pass by what you do not love.” 

Enjoy your journeys! Pass by what you do not love. Seize the day, and take good care of yourselves. I love each of you and so appreciate your words and gestures and creative sharing. Thank you for staying in touch!

Ruth

"Granny, hand me your phone so I can take a picture."

"Make a silly face, Granny!"

"It was one of those crazy afternoons when....."