Away

This week's treatment?

Let's see....

Yesterday, it was riding bikes to Punta Uva to go snorkeling. Today, walking through the rainforest that sidles up to the beach in the National Park in Cahuita. Tomorrow, we head to the Jaguar Rescue Center in Playa Chiquita. Then a long horseback ride along the beach, stopping for pipa fresa. 

The physical and psychological distance we have put between ourselves and recent events has been enormous these past few days. The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica has helped us feel worlds away.  Let's hope this kind of treatment continues!

Shorter days, longer hours

It definitely feels like autumn these days in Vermont.  The days have been crisp, the nights bracing, and the heat is replacing air conditioning in many people's daily commutes.  I have always loved this time of year, but this fall... this fall is different.  The days are definitely shorter, but some of the hours seem to stretch on far too long.

Carol finished her third round of treatment this week. Again, they believed that she is tolerating the treatments very well.  She celebrated the end of the round by going out this morning and running nine miles and putting me to shame.  And that's her on treatment for her current condition.  Sheesh.

This weekend we'll lay low -- she's usually not feeling at her peak after the anti-nausea medicine they put in her treatment wears off -- and Monday we head to Boston to catch a plane to Costa Rica.  That relaxation will be the real celebration of the end of three rounds of treatment.  Once we return, there will be a new round of treatment, but for right now, Carol's on vacation from all that.

We both continue to be buffeted by the wonderful support of you all, and by so many others whose kindnesses are legion.  Thank you for everything, and I truly do wish you all a most joyful fall season.  It will be winter before we realize it.

Glimmers

Like the light on the water, we take these comments and secret them away; they make us feel so good.

"It's an aphorism, but good responders do better.  And Carol is certainly what we would call a good responder."

"She looks great.  This stuff is just acting like a Pac-Man on those cells."

These were two comments from people at treatment yesterday, and they put Carol (and me) in a better place.  Since starting treatments back up last week, she has had the Art Hop, been back to running nine miles on Sunday, had quite a hankering for ice cream, and really enjoyed her meals. And now it's Concord grape season. Ahhh....

After next week's treatment, we're going away for a bit.  We're headed to a little place on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. It should be a perfect way to get away and recharge before the start of the next round. Callie will get a vacation, too, staying with four other friendly dogs in Underhill.

Coming back will be bittersweet. We'll head down to Connecticut for my mom's memorial service, but it will also be so good to see family we haven't seen in too long.

Driving, Driving, Driving...

Logging 40+ hours in the car over the last 5 days, we managed to tearfully drop Eliza off at St. Olaf, spend some wonderful time with Susan in Minneapolis, visit Gretchen in Chicago, and eat lots of interstate rest-stop food that pretty much all tasted alike.  And we still made it back home in time for Carol's treatment today, where we were able, through the marvels of modern technology, to see Eliza playing at the college's convocation!

It's been wonderful to have Carol out running again the last couple weeks.  Especially this past week, the effects from the last round of treatment waned, giving her more enthusiasm to be out doing whatever she felt like doing.  As she begins this next round of treatment, I know she'll begin to feel it, but I hope I can remind her enough of these times when she feels relatively normal, ready to put on her running shoes and head out the door into the bright daylight, with a smile on her face.

Thanks to everyone who made it so easy for us to head out to Minnesota these past few days, which also happened to have coincided with the beginning of school and the last few days before the Art Hop.  Hoo boy!