Scenes from Lake Atitlan and the Village of San Marcos, Guatemala.

April 9, 2010

Today marks my one week of radiation and chemotherapy treatment. So far, I have not felt any side effects or shown any in the tests they administer on a regular basis. However, I was told yesterday that I could expect some by the end of next week. The effects should manifest in the form of fatigue, dry skin and some hair loss in specific spots where the radiation is directed. We'll see.

I am having an interesting time riding with different people to the Cancer Center. Each day the conversation changes from discussions of Art, Music and the local political scene (Jeff Hudson critic for NPR) to raising children and the effects of my cancer on family life (Alice Provost - Family Therapist for UCD). The trip, to and from the Cancer Center, takes about an hour, so there is just about enough time to have a nice conversation. The people employed at the Center are also becoming a bit like an extended family that shares in a rather personal and somewhat tragic occurrence in my life. They are very patient and caring in the way they deal with all of us that come to them for treatment. All in all it turns out to be not only interesting but a pleasant experience, as well.

Today, I'm going for a bike ride (bicycle not motorcycle) around Davis to do a bit of shopping. I need the exercises, too. Although I have not had any seizures since the accident on the 23rd of February, neither I nor the DMV feels comfortable with me being behind the wheel of a car. My condition may cause some of the folks I rely on for transportation to rearrange their schedules, but I don't believe it has been a major problem, yet. So my desire (or lack there of) to drive is not something I need to even consider at this time.

Last night Linda Wayne made our dinner for us. It was a beautiful feast: chicken breast with dipping sauce, asparagus spears, risotto, loaf bread and a desert of strawberries, spongecake and yogurt (all, or nearly all, organic, too). It may sound as if I'm taking advantage of this generosity, but the truth is, we are exhausted from all the requirements placed on us by the various hospitals, doctors and insurance companies. Nora, more so than I, has taken on the job of handling the day to day dealings with the numerous agencies whether they be medical or insurance or something else. My job; The one I have assigned to myself, is to survive. I appreciate, more than I can or will ever be able to express, the support I've received from friends and family, but especially from Nora. Oh, we still get into arguments, but they do resolve much quicker than ever before, and I know that she is about run ragged from all this crap. And though Nora is in great shape, a dinner prepared by a friend just once in a while is very, very much appreciated. Oh, I almost forgot about the fantastic chicken soup that Sharon and Mark Strauss brought us about a week ago. Nora and I had gone to an afternoon doctor's appointment and when we came back that evening, there it was, a pot of delicious chicken soup. Thank you. I will repay you, as I will everyone who has reached out a helping hand, in about 5 to 10 years from now. Because, I WILL BEST THIS.

Checkout the "Your Opinion" site. It is my rambling thoughts about what I see and think about during the day. Let me hear from you, too.

Lenny