4/19/24 – By Steve

We think of “cancer survivor” as someone who had cancer and is now considered to be free of the disease, but really everyone with cancer is a cancer survivor from the moment of diagnosis. With each breath she has survived another moment, and each of these moments is worth celebrating. This is how I think about cancer now that it is so much closer than it was when I imagined it as a disease that other people got. No doubt it will be great to someday look back on cancer as a chapter that ended many pages ago, but it seems to me there is no reason cancer survivor shouldn’t start right now.

Kelly asked, because “I know you like to write” if I would compose the next edition of her c-blog, which, I suppose, could be called clog if that were not the name of a clunky type of footwear. I am glad to contribute. I would like to tell you that all is good, but nobody has all goodness, and it would be a mistake to desire something so elusive. I can tell you that many things are good, like our awareness of the importance of the moment. This moment. The sunrise. The stars and the moon. Music. The sound of the wind in the tree tops. A child’s hug. A hike in the woods. Each bite of real food, made with real ingredients, prepared with real artistry. Kelly is our food artist, by the way. My art is eating.

And now, the nuts and bolts update: After cycle two of fancy-named targeted immunotherapy by IV infusion and a daily pill (aromatase inhibitor), a scan. Scans can be scary because they can reveal bad news. But they can also reveal good news. This scan showed a significant reduction in tumor size. Good news. Not jump for joy news, but celebrate with a glass of wine news. And it means she can stay the course on her treatment regimen, meaning not add the more toxic traditional chemotherapy medications—the ones that trash your immunity, your hair, and make you vomit. Bring on cycle three. Done. Next up, cycle four and a whole bunch more tests. And the best medicine money can buy: a trip to Italy. Yeah, we might just pull that off. 

I’ll end by recognizing that we are awash in kindness. Thank you for caring and for caring without smothering. If you are reading this post, not only does it mean that you are literate, but you are also on Kelly’s list of special people. We both thank you for being special. We feel your love and support.