Dearest family and friends,

These, I guess you could say, are the good times, when there is kind of a normalcy that covers us here on Boyd Creek, a comfortable blanket. While Nora hit a bit of a rough patch last weekend, she’s now walking the dogs, doing laundry. This is the weekend without chemo.

Laundry may not be uppermost in everyone’s mind, but the end process, the drying, pleases Nora. Our yard is large enough to have clothes lines. The air is fresh here and there is no aerosol that can capture the aroma of sun dried fabric. It has literally been decades since we have heard the flap of a towel or sheet. Life gets simpler, more focused. A clothes line is a fantastic substitute for the waiting.

Nora was even able to stop by (with face mask) the Reeder “salon” down the road, one of our neighborhood’s two meeting places, and chat a bit, which always makes her feel good. And me. And our friends.

This weekend we will see Sarah and Jeremy, plus a special visit from Rebbecca (Nora’s oldest), husband Clint, and grandsons Emerson and Wyatt.

Nora is “herself” today, rearranging rooms, enjoying opening junk mail, making plans. We talk of everything. We talk of nothing. It is wonderful.

Paul

Dearest family and friends,

Nora had her third chemo treatment today. Her numbers were good. Dr. Yannucci, our chemo doc, outlined what comes next.  Nora will have her final “cocktail” she’s been getting on March 28/29 (she’s been getting a bone marrow shot on Friday). Then she starts a weekly Taxol therapy for 12 weeks.

About half way through the Taxol treatment Dr. Yannucci wants to do another PET scan. Nora’s insurance company doesn’t seem to view PET scans as necessary (see March 1 update), but we have an excellent team.

Thankfully Nora has experienced a minimum of side effects from the chemo. Well, her beautiful hair is gone. Thanks to our youngest daughter’s barbering skills all the little patches of hair left have been saved away and Nora calls herself an official “cue ball.” During chemo today someone said Nora had a beautifully shaped hear.  I knew that.

We both hate the waiting … is the chemo working? Nora’s vitals (BP, etc.) are excellent. But she has the nastiest of the nasty when it comes to tumors.

Your response to the “gofundit.com” page is so extraordinary. Feel free to share the link. In fact, please share the link! Thank you all for your help. Never thought we’d be here.

Also, the mother of a dear friend, Dave Lavery, has also just been diagonse with cancer. Please keep her in your prayers.

Jeremy, our daughter Sarah’s boyfriend (paramour) along with Katie (Sarah’s boss when she worked at Nick’s Seafood and Steakhouse all those years) put together a wonderful site for Nora and all those suffering from breast cancer. Visit http://www.bracketsforbreastcancer.com/.  An excellent way to have fun and support Nora and so many others.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts.  We did not plan much, but we did not plan this.

When the tide is right, we do sit on our porch and admire the beauty of Boyd Creek.

WATER AT THE RIGHT TIME

Living on a tidal creek
moon controlled on the eights
and  based on observation
we know  egrets know
better than we  the time
to claim the life of a fish.

Paul

Dear family and friends,

As her doctor suggested, Nora is just hanging around “the ranch” and getting plenty of rest. She has to wear a mask for awhile when we have visitors since her immune system is low. She’s eating well (my skills are improving) with frequent, yet small, meals.

Nora’s hair is almost completely gone so we’ll have a shaving party for her shortly. We’ve had several volunteers.

While Nora has good health insurance and we had enough in savings to cover the high deductible, breast cancer gets extraordinarily expensive right away. Ironically, at the beginning of the year, before Nora’s diagnosis, I had just started doing research on an article about “crowdfunding” and how the concept has had a tremendous impact on business start ups. But I also learned it is successfully being used for so many other situations, one being helping to pay medical expenses.

The idea is to provide a way for friends, and friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends to donate a small amount. It’s kind of one answer to the most difficult question Nora and I are asked: “What can I do to help?”

So you’ll notice in the right hand corner of this blog is the “gofundme” button. This is unbelievable. In a day or so people started reaching out to Nora very generously. We want to thank you so very much. Spread the word.

Tide is coming in now. Nora so much enjoys the view of Boyd Creek as the water slowly rises at the edge of our back yard. It is part of healing I think. No more chemo until March 15.

Our love to all of you,
Paul

It is now official. Nora’s hair is shorter than mine (well, I do need a haircut). As predected, two days before her second chemo treatment, Nora’s hair started “thinning.” Got a beautiful new yellow scarf yesterday at the Lewis Cancer Center (volunteers supply them) and a cool brown, tan and white cap.

The PET scan showed three additional tiny tumors on the left side lymph nodes that were not picked up by the CT scan. Thank you Dr. Yannucci for fighting for the additional PET. This is, in a way, good news, because it gives Dr. Yannucci more accurate information. But it’s still early in the game.

During these first two weeks of chemo Nora has had minimal side effects. No real nausea and a minimum amount of taste variations … and I’m becoming a better cook. She does get tired but that’s typical.

When we left the “chemo room” yesterday (actually a very comfortable and convivial spot if you [I] avoid focusing on the drip stands) Nora had everyone laughing followed by a couple high fives.

Thank you, everyone, for all your posts and kind thoughts. Keep them coming. It is all about spirit. One great moment this week was getting a card that was signed by many of the regulars at our local “salon” (Ridgeland’s version of a Virginia  Woolf gathering) at the Reeder compound. What a neighborhood.

We also just met the pharmacist at Main Street Pharmacy in Ridgeland. Great guy. Knew exactly how to approach Nora.

We’re doing fine, thanks to all of you. Yes, spread the word to our friends and to those who know Nora. It means a great deal .

Our love,
Paul