Thursday, June 26, 2008

Email #6 Brief Note June 11

Hi folks,

Hrumph. I've started this email a dozen different ways, but none of them sounded quite right. So, I'll just jump to the point.

The oncologist trip yielded the first "bad" news I've had for a while. While I'm hunky dory and healing well and feeling much better than I ever thought I would at this point, it turns out that the tumor was much more agressive than the doctors initially thought. And that means I'm looking at a pretty aggressive round of chemo to come.

I don't have much in the way of details; my brain kind of turned to oatmeal when the word "aggressive" came out of Dr. Williams' mouth. I have another appt with the oncologist in two weeks to tell him what I've decided. But the recommendation is 6 mos of chemo-- once every three weeks-- and a year of hormone therapy. I have at least four weeks before I can start the chemo, and I may delay it a bit longer so I can travel and soak up some summer fun before I have to dig in and deal with it.

Ma was devastated. I had to take her to the airport right after the appt, and I felt so, so bad putting her on a plane in that state. I think we were both pretty convinced that I might escape chemo totally-- or at least qualify for some weeny chemo. I'm pretty shaken up, too, but I just need some time to get used to the idea.

Anyway, now that I am up and running at around 75% of my usual self (I'm even driving now!), my priority is to have the best summer that I possibly can. So, with that in mind, I've decided to go to the Bonnaroo Music Festival this weekend. Jason and I got tickets back in March, and as soon as I was diagnosed I basically wrote off the possibility of going. But Jason has assured me that all I have to do is go and have fun, and he'll take care of everything else. (When else am I going to get to go camping and have someone else do all the crap work like setting up tents and whatnot? It's like having my own sherpa!)

So, that's the news. Not as good as all the other post-surgical news. But, you know, I just have to take it all in babysteps.

Hope all of you are well.

Lots of love.xoMRC

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