How's treatment going?
Good! This has been the hardest week... the treatment causes some swelling that accumulates as the week goes on, and I was definitely ready to be done today. I'm taking some naps and my appetite is down a bit, so I'm generally taking it easy. Today Sarah noticed a couple of spots of hair missing in the back of my head. My radiation oncologist asked if I had experienced any hair loss three weeks ago... so I assume the fact that my do held out this long means I've got amazing hair. It should all grow back in the next month.
I met with my neuro-oncologist this week, and he wants to have an MRI done about four weeks after treatment is finished. That'll be around May 15th, and it will be the first glamour shots of my brain since it started its proton makeover. Quite the news day to come.
Visitors Galore
Last weekend brought many visitors to Boston. Two of my best friends in the entire world, Jason and RAndy, arrived on Saturday, with a trunk full of board games, kombucha, teas, and jokes - we walked around Walden Pond (which is a big lake) and ate a homemade pop tart at Tremont 647 among other excellent things. Jason is a survivor of Hodgkins Lymphoma and was treated two years ago... his blog was very much the inspiration for what I'm typing now and is a hilarious read. It's been very comforting to talk with close friends who have been through this treatment process before.
Good! This has been the hardest week... the treatment causes some swelling that accumulates as the week goes on, and I was definitely ready to be done today. I'm taking some naps and my appetite is down a bit, so I'm generally taking it easy. Today Sarah noticed a couple of spots of hair missing in the back of my head. My radiation oncologist asked if I had experienced any hair loss three weeks ago... so I assume the fact that my do held out this long means I've got amazing hair. It should all grow back in the next month.
I met with my neuro-oncologist this week, and he wants to have an MRI done about four weeks after treatment is finished. That'll be around May 15th, and it will be the first glamour shots of my brain since it started its proton makeover. Quite the news day to come.
Visitors Galore
Last weekend brought many visitors to Boston. Two of my best friends in the entire world, Jason and RAndy, arrived on Saturday, with a trunk full of board games, kombucha, teas, and jokes - we walked around Walden Pond (which is a big lake) and ate a homemade pop tart at Tremont 647 among other excellent things. Jason is a survivor of Hodgkins Lymphoma and was treated two years ago... his blog was very much the inspiration for what I'm typing now and is a hilarious read. It's been very comforting to talk with close friends who have been through this treatment process before.
Searching for Thoreau's ghost at Walden
Sarah's parents arrived Saturday night. We spent Sunday and Monday sightseeing at the Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum and the Harvard Museum of Natural History Museum, which is full of wonderous minerals, beetles and hundreds of plant specimens made of glass. We had a great meal at Neptune Oyster together, sharing delicious seafoods and johnny cakes off of one another's plates.
A fine chrysocolla sample at the Museum of Natural History... it looks like a miniature bay
The PO Box was stuffed with goodies again this week. Cookies from Sarah's grandmother (delicious! delicious! delicious!), a ridiculous cat postcard from Liz, a frisbee from Rachel and Ben (just in time - it's finally sunny and warm!) and a Yankees cap from Ryan. Ryan suggested I wear the cap to protect my head... I can't imagine anything more hazardous than wearing a Yankees cap around Boston. I wore it to Protons today and got an earful from the techs and nurses who were all wearing Sox jerseys (today is the home opener against the Yankees). Somehow made it out of there alive.
The Week Ahead
Tonight Sarah and I are off to a Celtics game, courtesy of the man - the only and only Sheridan Fox. And the weekend brings visits from my aunt and uncle from Montreal, and my sister Anna and her son Ben. Ben is three years old already, and promises to be the life of the party.
2 comments:
Karl,
I'm delighted you've made it to nearly the end before the naps sneaked in. And with the low appetite I'm thinking now would be a good time for an ice cream excursion.
Thinking positive thoughts for you,
Jack
Thank you for mentioning the Mountain. I think you get book club extra points for fitting that reference in.
Can't wait to see you!
Rachel R
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