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!

Round 2 -- One for the Books -- Time to Hit the Trails

Yesterday marked the last day of treatment in this second round for Carol.  Despite the fact that some of her levels were a little low from the last couple weeks (to be expected), they plunked her down and hooked up the IV bag of medicine.  Now she heads to an off-week.  Time to let her body build back up, and yes, to get her running shoes back on.

After treatment, we headed to a follow-up appointment with her surgeon from 5 weeks ago.  His report gave her a green light to move back into active mode, with restraint.  Not sure Scout fully knows what that last part means, but I'm not going to hold her back.  It was so good to see her come out of that office (after she made a couple wrong turns) with a smile on her face.  That's been a rare thing this summer.

Late next week, after Carol's birthday, we head out to Minnesota to bring Eliza back to St. Olaf.  This summer with her has been wonderful; it will be almost as hard as last year to bring her back.  Then it's back to school, painting, the South End Art Hop, and life as we now know it.  Oh, the chocolate....

Thanks to all for everything.  Even the guy I flipped the bird on 189 the other day.

Such Good Friends, and a Growing Family

      

The picture may seem familiar, but it's not usually on a t-shirt! Members of Carol's 100 on 100 group will be sporting these special t-shirts tomorrow as they head cover the distance from Stowe to Okemo.  Sylvie came by last night to show us the shirts, and we were both in tears from this gift.  Carol will be with them in spirit, and her art and words will travel on their shirts tomorrow.  Wishing everyone good weather, a good run, and a good night's sleep afterwards.

Yesterday, as Carol was getting her treatment, she was able to FaceTime with my sister Sarah, who was in labor.  Before the afternoon was over, baby Bruce had arrived! We are so happy for Sarah, Jon, and Harper, and we can't wait to meet the little guy.

Carol has one more week of treatment in this round.  She'll also have a follow-up appointment from her surgery to find out when she might be able to run again (though she did say that she was planning to take Callie to East Woods today, and no, I couldn't come. Hmmm....).  Once this round is over, we are taking Eliza back to school, then another round begins, and the Art Hop comes around.

As always, summer has flown.  I am tempted to say that I can't see this particular summer go quickly enough, but this summer has also been full of pure, radiant kindness the likes of which we don't often get to see.  And that has come from all of you.  Thank you.

Treatment -- Round 2

Hi everyone,

It's now been a little over 3 weeks since Carol's surgery.  In that time, I've only had to scold her once or twice (or a few more times) not to overdo things.  If you know her, you know that she has a hard time with waiting.  We'll just say that she's enthusiastic.

After getting the green light from the doctors that she hadn't been overdoing it too much, Carol started the second round of her treatment yesterday.  Luckily, this time around, she has an idea of how it will make her feel, so she's more prepared.  I know that she would much rather be getting ready to head to North Carolina to help Sarah, Jon, and Harper with the imminent arrival of baby Bruce, or meeting with her 100-on-100 group to take care of last-minute arrangements.  I am just so awed by how she's handling all of this.

Neither she, nor I, could be doing any of this without the phenomenal support of you, our friends and family. Even if we don't take you up on it, because we haven't figured out yet how to do that without feeling like we're imposing, thank you so much for every offer.  Thank you for that, and for so much more.