Ah, you biologists out there are correcting me already. Those aren't seals in the photo, but sea lions. You can tell by the ears (true seals lack external ears) and other identifiers. So be it, but "sea-lioned with a kiss" just doesn't have the effect I was going for. This past weekend, Jane and I were able to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary at Pacific Grove courtesy of Ken and Alice Hansell. It's one of our favorite places, and we spent our time walking, sleeping in, eating out (the Fishwife is a must), taking a pontoon-boat tour of Elkhorn Slough (source of the photo), and just enjoying one another's companionship. Not unlike the sea lions, we took pleasure in just sitting side-by-side, warm sun on our backs, taking in the sights and sounds of the busy coastline -- the crashing of waves on rocky headlands, the changing colors of sky and ocean, with bird, seal, otter and people-watching thrown in for good measure.
The week that followed was a mix of medical appointments, in particular a CT scan this past Wednesday and chemo and a doctor's appointment yesterday, and time with family and friends -- walks, a day of Violet-sitting, a visit to the Academy of Sciences, an afternoon with Violet, Jess, my sister Donna and her baby, Kaylee, at the Discovery Museum in Sausalito. A busy week and all done in the shadow of the anxiety that comes with a CT scan -- "What will it show?" is the question that dogs me for several days each time one is scheduled. Since I'd been feeling pretty good since the last scan, other than the side effects of the chemo (and I look a little like the sea lion in the photo this morning), I was hoping for a good report, at least one that would show that the disease is still under control, and that's what the scan did show for the most part. The multiple tumors in my liver have all stayed the same or decreased slightly in size; the tumor in my pancreas has become "less visible," which I hope means that it is becoming smaller as well. While the shrinkage is not occurring with the speed of a "frightened turtle," it's definitely good news. There was a little wrinkle in the scan results though. There has been a small change in the tiny nodules in both lungs that have shown up on the scans since February; nothing too dramatic, but a change nevertheless. There has been a question from the outset about whether or not these nodules are related to the cancer; they may be of infectious or inflammatory origin. Different radiologists have given different interpretations. It does seem unlikely that the chemotherapy would be controlling the growth of the many tumors in my abdomen and not doing the same with those elsewhere. Dr. Tempero is of that mind and says the control of the growth of tumors in my liver in particular is the important point to note. So, I will try to focus on the good news and apply Alfred E. Neumann's life philosophy to these small changes in my lungs -- "What? Me worry?"
As always, my continuing appreciation for the support so many have given me in so many ways.
Peace, Don
