Discussion Blog.

I have not been here much.

It’s been a month since I finished radiation and my energy and hair are coming back quickly. I have a check- up with my surgeon and oncologist in a couple of weeks, but I don’t expect any big news from either of them. I’m feeling good and very busy with work so I won’t be blogging much.

Thank ALL OF YOU for your wonderful support over these 10 months–it has helped me enormously! Happy Spring!

One of Jan's last radiation treatments

River hop on the Snake.

Looking south toward Lewiston.

South side of Paradise Ridge.

Greetings. Going back to work and starting radiation have taken all my energy for the past several weeks. Work is going okay–I’m functioning at about half speed but my students are wonderful and very understanding, and my colleagues are incredibly supportive and kind.  And generous: they gave me MANY gas cards for my commute to Lewiston (60+ miles per day) for radiation. 

I’m happy to report that today was radiation #23 with only 10 more to go. Every morning at 8:30 I drive 40 minutes to Lewiston for my 5 or so minutes of zapping, then back up the hill from the Snake River Canyon, across the Palouse to Moscow. While lying on the table for my treatment I send out healing prayers to all those I know going through cancer treatment:  Joan, Rodney, Phil D, Phil C C, Jim . . . and a prayer of gratitude for all who have supported me through this.

The drive to Lewiston (there is no radition facility on the Palouse) has been lovely due to incredibly good weather and lots of  audiobooks. I often don’t want to get out of my car, the listening experience is so enjoyable: Eudora Welty herself reading “Why I Live at the P.O.”, Nelson Mandela’s favorite South African folktales, an Elmore Leonard crime novel set in the Mississippi Delta, and now, Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” read by William Hurt. Another totally unexpected blessing. Wow.

The radiation is making for some pretty heavy fatigue and awfully burned and bumpy skin, but that’s the way it works. I keep slathering on the aloe. On Tuesday, March 16th I will begin the process of getting my strength and stamina back by walking and swimming, and getting my life back.

Sending you all love and best wishes,

Jan

Thanks for all the recent congratulatory messages. On Tuesday I learned that the surgeon did get the entire tumor. It was such a joy to thank her for a job so very well done and to see her happiness for me on her face. I am still draining too much fluid to have the drain removed but I got the okay to fly to L.A. for a brief vacation before returning to work next week. So Luis and I flew down here yesterday and are staying with his mother, Laura. They live in a neighborhood/city called Monterey Park which is on a beautiful, dramatic hillside facing the San Gabriel Mountains. This morning I’ve been outside sitting next to the pool, soaking up Vitamin D and watching the bluebirds. This is truly lovely.

Thinking of you all with affection and gratitude.  XX

All the lymph nodes the surgeon removed were cancer – free. I will find out next week if she got “clear margins” around the tumor in the breast. But this is great news! Happy New Year everyone!

Yesterday’s surgery went very well! We were home by 8pm last night and I’m feeling remarkably well this morning. I’m also feeling very, very blessed and so grateful for all the love, support, care (and hydrocodone) I’ve received over these past several months. Thanks to everyone and wishing you a very Merry Christmas! We’re receiving visitors anytime, although running some errands for the next couple of hours. Joan, we’d love to see you!

Early tomorrow morning Luis and I will drive to Spokane for my surgery. I will have a lumpectomy and the lymph nodes in my right arm removed. This should only take a couple of hours plus recovery room time, and then hopefully we’ll be back home by late afternoon or early evening. I will take all your love and support with me tomorrow. THANK YOU for keeping my spirits renewed these many months! Happy Holidays to you and yours.

I had my last chemo on Friday and am now riding through bone pain and anxious to come out the other side. Thanks to all of you for your love and support–it has helped me enormously. I’m now looking forward to getting the chemicals and hydrocodone out of my system and getting some strength back and feeling more normal before I go in for surgery on the 23rd. I’ve been doing some walking but I WANT TO RUN! More later. Best wishes to all. XOX

It’s been a rough week of bone aches and fatigue, but that aside, here are some highlights.

My friend since 4th grade, Vicki Donovan, took me to chemo last Friday and took the photos below. She gave me that cool hat I’m wearing–more gift hat photos will be coming soon. Dr. Rosales is my oncologist and I like him very much. I can tell he’s quite proud that he successfully shrunk my tumor.

My dear friend Joan brought me an astonishing gift last week–a magic wand! It’s a small, beautifully carved and finished piece of 100 year old apple wood made by someone in Peck, Idaho. Like the beautiful beaded rattle my friend Rodney gave me, it is wonderful to hold while thinking healing, compassionate thoughts. Thanks for these gifts!

Only 2 more chemos to go!

Jan and Vicki

Jan waiting to see Dr. Rosales 1/06/09

Jan and Dr. Rosales

December 23rd! If I can stay on the chemo schedule and my blood counts bounce back quickly, I’ll have surgery on December 23rd. This is wonderful news to get it done this calendar year and have some time to recover before begining teaching spring semester. And I’ve been feeling pretty good the past few days. The bone aching has decreased and neuropathy in hands and feet hasn’t gotten any worse. Could be lots worse so I’m counting my blessings, many of which are you all.

Greetings. Chemo #4 turned out to make for a very rough two weeks, but I was well enough to get Chemo #5 this past Friday and I”m amazed to only have THREE dosages left! A big thanks to my neighbor Jim for escorting me to Spokane and providing great music for the scenic, backroads drive.

I’m now on Taxol, a different medicine than the first 4. It has its own peculiar side effects that have come to visit me sooner than the doctor predicted. These are pain/numbness in hands and feet and bone aching. This means that Luis will be doing lots of dishes in addition to cooking. On the bright side, my cancer care coordinator tells me that folks that experience strong side effects  statistically get the most benefit from the chemo, so I have that as a wonderful consolation, since indeed, I’ve had LOTS of side effects.

The highlight of the past few days was getting to see Luis perform in a reading of a Chekhov play with the Pullman Civic Theatre–he was REALLY good as Ivan Lomov! Thanks, kind folks, for checking in and hanging in there with me through this. Best wishes to all of you.