Nearly a Month...

I am surprised that the end of April was my last posting. I guess I'm running out of energy with this blogspot...but it isn't fair to all the nice people who comment on my random paragraphs if I fail to put something up. People have indeed been so kind.

As I sit here, I've lost about 15 pounds since the middle of April, and much of my hair. It would be nice to say that the weight loss is due to the chemotherapy, or exercise, but it is a result of a tumble I took a week ago in Ontario. Entering the restroom, I fell and performed an excellent "face plant." The trip to the Emergency Room took 25 stitches to my lip & chin, I broke four teeth, and my jaw is so sore I cannot chew real food. So I'm slurping yogurt and soups, not eating much that will put weight on. No bread. No butter. Soft-boiled eggs and no toast. Imagine THAT!??

It still hurts, a week later, though my stitches are out and I can open my mouth widely enough to accommodate a soupspoon. A week ago, I had to take everything through a straw. Thankfully, Billy Schlager was able to drive me home from Ontario, and then we put him on the next flight back to Boise. He couldn't have been a more helpful friend...not sure what I'd have done without him. The "event" took place at the end of a delightful weekend. We got to visit Coeur d'Alene Resort, the lovely Payette Golf Club, and of course Brewski's...now known as the scene of the "crime."

I'll be ok, it just isn't something I should have done. Not much about chemotherapy this time around, because we're in a marathon and not a sprint. I was hoping to use the past weekend as a celebration of the end of this chemotherapy series, but that is not the case. We'll conduct a CT this week in order to determine the next course of action. At the very least, I'm taking the summer as a "holiday" from such therapies, though I may be advised to do it once a month or so. My oncologist is concerned that I've been at it since November, and that I need to take a break. We're hoping that the difficult rash caused by the new drug in my system indicates a real challenge is being offered to the tumors, too...

The voice is no better...Repair to my vocal cords is scheduled for June 4. My mood will improve when I can communicate better, I'm sure.

Many of us head to Boston this next weekend for Commencement. THAT will be a good time!! We have our Pops tickets, our Sox tickets, and reservations at some quaint bed & breakfast spots. So it will be nice to leave email behind, catch up with the kids, and see a part of the country that will be new to us all. I'll be sure to post an update upon my return, just to let everyone know how great the lobster is.

Special to Stewart:
Stewart, I got your message and can't speak well enough to arrange a dinner right now....and I don't have your email address. Can you send it to wlmarkc@yahoo.com so that I can write in the next few days? I'd truly love to catch up, but with the voice hassle it is very hard to do. I can basically grunt and ask a couple of questions, but nothing could be called "conversational" and I feel badly that I haven't called you back. I look forward to hearing from you!