It’s been a great two weeks of time with friends, mountains, water, and rest. I’m on my fourth Inspector Gamache novel and well into Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg. I’ve hiked, napped, and enjoyed long conversations with dear friends in beautiful settings.
During my time at Holden Village, a friend asked what goals or hopes we had for our time there. It was a great question and helped me focus my time on the things that really mattered – deep connection with others, laughter, and being grounded in creation (or earthing). I spent time everyday barefoot in the grass, looking up at the mountains, and cold dipping in the river. I sat on the porch with friends, enjoying good coffee and conversation or playing improv games and celebrating space monkeys.
The week at Holden followed a few nights of camping with a dear friend out at the coast. It gave us a chance to escape the heat, play Triominos, and enjoy the sound of the ocean in the dark of night.
My heart is full. I’m rested. I’m ready.
The first cancer surgery happens this week. Step one is a lumpectomy where they will remove the tumor and surrounding tissue, as well as 6-8 lymph nodes on my left side. There’s a wildly amazing process by which they inject an agent that will travel from the tumor site up through the lymph system. The surgeon will remove the first (sentinel) node and several of the next tier nodes. The pathology of the tumor and the lymph nodes will be what determines the treatment moving forward: chemo, radiation, and/or medication.
I will have about 2 weeks to recover from the lumpectomy and then if all goes as planned, I will have the second surgery (reconstruction) the week of August 12.
In addition, I have an appointment this Friday with the ENT surgeon who will be helping me understand my options for addressing the suspicious masses they discovered in my thyroid.
Thank you to so many who have offered us help, sent words of encouragement, provided gift cards for food delivery, donated to help cover medical costs, showed up to mow my lawn and weed the flower beds… the list goes on. Hana and I are so very grateful for your care and support in both words and deeds. Thank you for being the community that is holding us in this different sort of time.
Hope With Me:
- For an effective and successful surgery this week to remove the cancer and figure out the best next steps for treatment.
- Peace for myself and my family as we walk through the days ahead.
- For the willingness to learn how to “do very little slowly” as I give my body time to heal and recover. (Credit to Lionel Hardcastle in As Time Goes By for that helpful description.)
One reply on “Rested and Ready”
What a wonderful way to prepare for the upcoming challenges! May those memories and the wisdom of “doing very little slowly” keep you positive and hopeful! We are praying for a successful surgery and follow-up. We love you and Hana!