Since the consultation at NIH suggested gathering more information before making treatment recommendations for my newly diagnosed prostate cancer, things have calmed down a little.
We celebrated my wife's birthday over the weekend. Went to a place where she enjoys the food and the surroundings and had a very pleasant dinner. I did some serious hunting before finding a necklace pendant that was involved two differently textured rings that were twisted together. Looks like two different strands of rope. The strands are "married," in traditional sailor's lingo. To me the piece symbolized our marriage and how we're bound to each other "for better or worse," as the vows go. This is taking on a deeper significance now as we consider how my cancer treatment will affect our joint lives. So far we are remaining quite optimistic, though, nevertheless, taking some steps to ensure that minimal financial complications follow either of our deaths. I also baked one of my wife's favorite deserts, a seriously delicious cherry chocolate cake made from a family recipe, and iced with chocolate fudge. Enough to give you lockjaw. Great stuff! She loved it.
Back on the medical front, I made arrangements with the laboratory to send ME the slides. Then I can do with them what I will. If extra cuts are needed I'll have them made, but I'll be able to get the slides into the hands of whomever I wish this way. The only other thing I have to do is to take the prescribed antibiotics and wait for the MRI that is planned for late November. The next multi-disciplinary conference at NIH is scheduled for 1 December. That's when I'll hear the considered treatment recommendations. I expect there will be some time to consider alternatives, and then things will start early in the new year. Hopefully I'll be done with and recovered from the intensive part by April. Somehow April seems a long way off! After that, maybe, a big trip.
In the meantime we'll be taking advantage of this lull to travel just a little. First vacation in 18 months. Heading out to California (San Francisco area) for a week, meet up with some friends, and enjoy the change of scenery. And get away from the craziness that goes on where I work. Looking forward to it.
Only other goal is to approach the long overdue goal of life simplification so that there's less to manage and more time to enjoy stuff. Although we're not feeling particularly time pressured right now, it seems that a reexamination of priorities is in order. I'll let you know! Thanks for checking in.
We celebrated my wife's birthday over the weekend. Went to a place where she enjoys the food and the surroundings and had a very pleasant dinner. I did some serious hunting before finding a necklace pendant that was involved two differently textured rings that were twisted together. Looks like two different strands of rope. The strands are "married," in traditional sailor's lingo. To me the piece symbolized our marriage and how we're bound to each other "for better or worse," as the vows go. This is taking on a deeper significance now as we consider how my cancer treatment will affect our joint lives. So far we are remaining quite optimistic, though, nevertheless, taking some steps to ensure that minimal financial complications follow either of our deaths. I also baked one of my wife's favorite deserts, a seriously delicious cherry chocolate cake made from a family recipe, and iced with chocolate fudge. Enough to give you lockjaw. Great stuff! She loved it.
Back on the medical front, I made arrangements with the laboratory to send ME the slides. Then I can do with them what I will. If extra cuts are needed I'll have them made, but I'll be able to get the slides into the hands of whomever I wish this way. The only other thing I have to do is to take the prescribed antibiotics and wait for the MRI that is planned for late November. The next multi-disciplinary conference at NIH is scheduled for 1 December. That's when I'll hear the considered treatment recommendations. I expect there will be some time to consider alternatives, and then things will start early in the new year. Hopefully I'll be done with and recovered from the intensive part by April. Somehow April seems a long way off! After that, maybe, a big trip.
In the meantime we'll be taking advantage of this lull to travel just a little. First vacation in 18 months. Heading out to California (San Francisco area) for a week, meet up with some friends, and enjoy the change of scenery. And get away from the craziness that goes on where I work. Looking forward to it.
Only other goal is to approach the long overdue goal of life simplification so that there's less to manage and more time to enjoy stuff. Although we're not feeling particularly time pressured right now, it seems that a reexamination of priorities is in order. I'll let you know! Thanks for checking in.
