Forty years. On Sunday, June 2, John and I celebrated 40 years of marriage with some of our closest NC friends, as well as, my sister and niece. It was an opportunity to share memories and reflect on a wonderful union. Missing from this celebration was time devoted to future plans. Although bittersweet, it was a wonderful day spent with people we love.

Last week also marked two other milestones in John’s journey with GBM. It was the first round of very high chemotherapy. Five days of medication followed by 23 days of recovery. The first round kicked his ass. The nausea and somnolence were constant. Perhaps more concerning was the sharp increase in his leg/back pain. I suspect the listed side effect of joint pain with temozolomide may be a significant cause of his pain. He now is on both long-acting and immediate-release opioids to reduce the pain. He did tell me he was surprised how long he could just sit and be in his head about random ideas. The beauty of opioids. We are eager to see how much he is able to ‘recover’ in the coming days from the blast of chemo.

Finally, John suggested we plan his funeral now to decrease my future burden. It speaks to his kindness and love that he wants to do this with and for me. Last week we purchased a family burial plot  in a conservation cemetery. It is a green burial site located in restored prairie and woodlands with hiking trails and an outdoor sanctuary. There is no manicured lawn and no obvious headstones; rather, it is filled with wildflowers, ferns, trees and birds. John says, “it just feels right”. We are working with a religious naturalist to plan and conduct the service.

It was a week of milestones.