Greetings nearest and far-est and dearest, This morning we met with TerriSue at 7:30 to go over the details of Val’s bloodwork before chemo. Val mentioned that she had her second scan yesterday, and TerriSue replied, “I know,” and her face broke into a beaming smile. The prettiest smile I’ve Continue Reading
lung cancer
Apomab redux
One other tidbit this week: turns out we’d been given incorrect information about the Apomab drug trial ditching the placebo. This week (with some chagrin) oncology staff let us know Val’s Apomab trail is unchanged, and half the participants will still receive a placebo instead of the drug, although that Continue Reading
Hairball #3
Val called me at work this morning to say she coughed up another piece of her tumor! Or anyway, she coughed up something unusual, of a slightly different texture than last time, about the size of a smallish pea. It’s now awaiting biopsy in a little jar filled with homemade Continue Reading
Off the Hammock
So on the 28th they are going to put me back into a tube. Scan my chest. Create another picture like the one that started all this. And the doctors will marvel at the 3 dimensional detail of it all. They like to go slice by millimeter slice. (I really Continue Reading
Holy Horking Hairballs, Batgirl!
—Heads up: entry contains thoroughly icky details— Here is a remarkable thing. A few weeks ago, shortly after chemo began, while out to lunch (I mean that literally), in the midst of a paroxysm of coughing, Val hacked up a biological gobbet of something unusual. It was unlike anything Continue Reading
Freedom from hair
There are some moments throughout the days of the last several weeks when it occurs to me that I have Lung Cancer. No really, I’m not even kidding. Lung Cancer. And that is a perhaps a desperate thing and I think perhaps I have been misunderstanding the meaning of that. Continue Reading
First day of chemo: all went well
Hi all, Val’s first day of chemo was long but went very well. No exciting allergic reactions; not much discomfort except some aching in her arm during the infusion of one drug; good spirits; visits from friends; attentive medical staff. (Also, as an extra bonus, it turns out there’s a Continue Reading
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
This will be a quick and informational post, with details and impressions to follow: We met the medical oncologist today, Dr. L, and I’m happy to report she struck us as sharp, personable and committed. She was patient with our questions and, like us, interested in pursuing aggressive treatment. (She Continue Reading
snippets and faith
Some things that are happening right now: Val is laughing on the couch as Favor tells a story about a time her head was mistaken for a beaver. Grapes and split-pea soup and wine are being consumed (by disparate people). The dog is asleep with her fuzzy muzzle flattened against Continue Reading
Updates on the Val front: biopsy results
Dear friends, Last night we had more than 10 friends with us as we awaited the call from the pulmonologist who performed Val’s biopsy on Tuesday. Dr. Rettmann called around 7:00 (after his surgeries for the day) and was informative, compassionate, patient and helpful. Here is what he told us Continue Reading