Recently I have received a number of direct communications inquiring about my wife Leaves on the Current and how she is doing in living with her cancer. Several suggested I might want to let others know as well as responding to them directly. Hence this message.
Her cancer remains in remission. She remains in treatment. She receives one chemo for restraining her cancer on a 3 weeks on, one week off cycle. Every four weeks she receives another drug to help rebuild her bones - people may remember the cancer had severely damaged her spine.
Otherwise she is doing well. She is now pretty much working full time. Because she has responsibility for a conference next week and she is as those who know her understand one who is almost fanatical about small details (which is one thing that makes her a superb editor), she just came home from an all-nighter in her office!
She drives herself. Not merely to and from work. She has taken extended trips - to Cape May to go birding with family, to New Jersey to be with family, round trip to Allentown PA in one day to help a dear friend spend time with children . . . .
She still gets tired. She still sleeps in a hospital bed, although that will soon change.
She is delighted to have gotten back to the weight she had in the early 1990s, having overcome as she puts it "the attack of the midlife pounds!" She had kept clothing from them, and is now preparing to donate the clothing necessary before she "got my body back."
She feels comfortable with my being away, as I was last weekend for four days while I volunteered in dental triage at a free medical/dental clinic in SW Virginia. In fact, she insisted I go.
Our lives have returned to something near normal, although we have the reality of her cancer always with us. We remain as always grateful for the prayers, concern, support and friendship so many have offered us.
Peace
