Apple's Greens

When I picked Walt up from pre-school yesterday, he was very excited to show me the two new Curious George books he had in his cubby.  "Where did you get these kiddo? "  He explained that the teacher took us to "Apple's Greens" to look at books and he picked out the George books.  "It's not like the library Daddy.  I can keep these for ever and ever and ever."
This made my day or perhaps even my week or month.  I'm not sure if this is nature or nurture but I do feel satisfied that Walt has his priorities in place.

Longest Day

Looking north from the roof

Happy summer solstice or winter solstice for friends in the Southern Hemisphere.  We're basking in clear San Francisco skies (a bit unusual for the season) for the longest day of sunlight for the year.  I'm afraid the day does feel acutely long since I've been up before first light and I doubt I will close my eyes until well after night has fallen.  I am feeling quite preoccupied.  Tomorrow morning we will meet with the surgeon and discuss the most prudent and promising ways to slice portions out of my brain for removal.  I'm not sure if I'm going to get just a detailing (biopsy) or a major remodel (debulking) but either way, we're both anxious and looking forward to meeting with the surgeon tomorrow so that we can finally have some of these questions answered.

Slouching Towards 2012

It's been quite awhile since I have written and it is not for lack of material.  The last month has been filled to overflowing with things I want to write about - participating in the Commonweal Cancer Help program,
having my three month MRI (no change),  getting a second and third opinion at Stanford and MD Anderson - but honestly my month has been dominated by one mundane, prosaic thing which has prevented me from writing - a bad tooth.

Hooray for a home!!

We've been reluctant to write since we left Canberra.  It has been a different transition.  And although we should be used to moving this has been a harder move than we've had in the last few years.  We've been staying with family and friends, we've traveled and we unfortunately even had a few days in the hospital (Chris coming down with pneumonia in Canada). But mostly, we've been superstitious, not wanting to share our news until it was for real.  After talking about buying a home in San Francisco since we first lived here we finally did it.

Headed Home

We finished the pack out this week and watched as our things pulled away in wooden crates down the quiet streets of Franklin, our suburb in Canberra.  For the first time Walt helped pick out what would go in his suitcase, the air freight and on the ship.  He was a trooper and although my patience was tested more than once I do think his being part of the action has made it easier on him that we are doing this again so soon.

Strikes and Gutters...

...up and downs.   This pretty much describes our last few weeks.  Three weeks ago, I made the long, and this time, stressful trip back to San Francisco for my regular two-month MRI and appointment with my neuro-oncologist  Casey made the trip down from Idaho to see me and go to the appointment with me since Steph remained in Canberra with Walt.  The news was good - stable, no new growth perhaps a slight improvement.  I was so exhausted from the trip and stress, it was hard to enjoy much about being home.

7 months

Chris just returned from San Francisco. A crazy, short dash to get his MRI done and the next two rounds of Temodar in hand.  Despite a lot of trepidation going into the trip, the news was once again a great relief: stable disease to possible response.  After two sessions at the Osher Center and a great visit to Dr. Chang we were fully satisfied that all the subtle symptoms that seemed to be creeping into our lives were the result of too little rest, many different medications and jumping back into full time work again for the first time in 6 months.

Spring

Forget Groundhog day, it has already felt like spring in San Francisco for about a month.  While the "best" (warmest in this context) weather in the City comes in the fall, I can't help but get swept up in the glories of the false spring even if it is destined to come to ruin in a few weeks in the form of premature dropped blossoms and second base marooned in a gigantic puddle.