I've been meaning to post an update here for several weeks, but like so many retired folks I know, we have just been so "busy" that I've not gotten back here to write anything. Kathie and I just returned from a very fun two weeks in Canada with good friends, and I want to write a separate post about that soon, but first I want to share other news.
First, my health continues to be great. Well, maybe except for a pair of cranky knees! A few weeks ago, I had a post-chemo/post-cancer checkup. These occur about quarterly. My oncologist indicates that she'll keep scheduling these for the first three years following the chemo, since that is the most likely period of time during which a recurrence could happen. The hospital had to reschedule this checkup from an earlier April date, and they happened to pick my birthday, in May, for the new time. So, I spent about four hours on my birthday having a CT scan, blood tests, and a meeting with my oncologist—most of that sitting in chairs in waiting rooms. Everything continues to look very good. Nothing has shown up on CT scans, the blood tests all show good results, and the special blood test related to the research study in which I'm participating has found no circulating tumor DNA since the surgery in January of 2022. There will be more such tests going forward, and I'm already scheduled for a colonoscopy in November—the first since the cancer was detected in late 2021. Maybe the best news, at least from my perspective, is that my oncologist has ordered my medical port to be removed in early August! It has not been uncomfortable or much of a problem all this time, but having it out feels like a big step and some affirmation that it likely won't be needed again.
There was one glitch in my checkup that I find humorous. Remember this was on my birthday. Since the CT scan requires fasting, I had nothing at all to eat or drink that morning. After the scan was finished, I was home briefly and hungry before heading back for the remaining appointments. Kathie had given me some candy for my birthday and made me a strawberry shortcake. I ate quite a bit of each before heading back to the hospital. Hey! It was my birthday! As I said above, all my blood test results were good except for one. My blood glucose level had spiked. My health records are now all online with access through something called MyChart, so I can always review test results even before I see the oncologist. My dad developed diabetes late in life, but I have never before had any indication of such a problem. Having seen nothing similar in earlier tests, my oncologist wasn't very concerned, especially when I mentioned my birthday snacking, but she ordered an A1C test just to be safe. That result was completely normal, so no problem. Safety tip: Avoid excessive sweets prior to blood tests!
The end of the school year has found us busy with activities and events in the lives of our grandchildren. Eleanor enjoyed a school trip to Spain; Penny performed in a youth choir concert we attended; Anders has been engaged in bicycle races, one of which we got to see; and Leo and Maia are playing lots of soccer, swimming and doing triathlons. Several of them will be involved in summer camps. A highlight this year is Henry's graduation from high school—he is the oldest of the eight. I was eager to attend his last band and jazz ensemble concerts this spring, especially because the two years of Covid and cancer interfered with most prior opportunities to do that. We were able to hear both Henry and Clara in the final spring band concert. They played one very special piece this year, commissioned for the school. That and the fact that this was Henry's last appearance made the evening quite emotional. A few weeks later, we heard his last jazz performance too. The music was terrific! Henry surprised me too with a bit of flute playing in one of the charts—he is an alto saxophone player. I keep listening to that concert, as his high school has an online archive of videos of most school events and activities.
Spring is prom season too. Henry and his girlfriend (an accomplished baritone sax player and a wonderful vocalist in the jazz band) coordinated their attire for the senior prom. Looking so grown!
In early June, we attended Henry's graduation. The occasion brought nearly all of the family together for a fun backyard party that Betsy and Pete arranged. Henry will attend the University of Iowa this coming fall, and he hopes, after an upcoming tryout, to be accepted as a member of the Hawkeye Marching Band.
The day prior to my birthday, my cousin Rex invited us to have breakfast. We had done the same earlier for his birthday. Getting together with him and Chris is always a good time and a chance to catch up on our respective family activities.
Some time ago, my good friend Richard offered me a cherry tree from the timber on his property. This was a perhaps 50 foot tree that had been topped by the derecho a few years ago. In April I arranged to have it taken down, cut into logs, and hauled to a nearby sawmill. In early June, the mill called to let me know the lumber had been cut and kiln dried, so I arranged to pick it up. I got nearly 350 board feet of very good quality wood from the tree—much, much more than I can use myself. I have given some to other friends and will give some to Ron, my brother-in-law, but there is still plenty left. The photo below shows what I have after giving some away. I may try to sell some of it to cover the costs of taking the tree down and having the sawing done. In the meantime, I toted it all down to my shop for storage. Things are a little crowded down there just now!
Finally, to end on a "cute note", Kathie has been doing lots of work to find a new companion dog, since we lost Tighe last September. She loves English Shepherds and is involved with a national club or society that carefully tracks genetic lines and helps to insure the integrity of the breed. With access to individuals that help to maintain these lines and the health of the breed, Kathie has found a litter from which we may soon be able to select a puppy. The breeder has posted pictures regularly so that she can follow the development of the little guys and gals, which are now about seven weeks old. Here is one of them sleeping on top of another. We are going to visit the pups in a few days, and in another two weeks, if everything works out, we may be getting one of them!
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