The Last Four Innings of Treatment

Innings Five, Six, Seven and Eight

It's seems, on reflection, that the third and fourth treatment routines made reflection and writing about them, well, not possible. So, here I sit, some two months later in the comfort of Sam's Tours Digital Internet in Koror, Palau, trying to close out this period of my life.  

The blood pressure machine is still a fixture in my life, but being in the tropics has certainly contributed to its decline. 

I can honestly say that I do not miss the Chemo treatment room where caring people gave me what I needed. If I had my way, everyone treated there would be out in the world doing what they wanted to do. I am fortunate to. so far. have the freedom to do what life brings to me. Many peers in this room do not. 

To the Southwest commercial that asks, "Wanna Get Away?", I nod my drug-laden head with what seems like enthusiasm. Yet, my kidneys say, "Not so fast." This sent me to the Scripps Institute to a nephrologist. You remember, the nephron is the functional unit of the kidney, so a nephrologist is one who knows all about those little buggers. Enter Dr. Melanie Farrell.

Dr, Farrell took on the responsibility of bring back my kidney function from the abyss.  Here she is with her favorite organ in the background. Talk about thorough... this woman is the exemplar and I offer her many thanks. 

So Linda and I live on our boat in Palau, 500 mile east of the Philippines. The every-other-month blood tests show improvement, but not perfection. We swim and bike and snorkel, sail and explore, letting the body do its healing thing. The PET/CT in May indicated I was free of disease. The next is scheduled for September in either Guam or Manila.  It's weird having to wait four months between score cards when the "in your face" contest against the pirates seemed to have ended so long ago. 


Details will be shared when we know.  My thoughts and well wishes go out on a daily basis to Jen Moeckel and my buddy, John Dyer.