It was one year ago today, Sept 4, 2018, when I had surgery to remove the tumor.

About now, one year ago, I was waking up to several harsh new realities.

((Thank you, Laura, for being there that day and so many days since!))

While it’s a little disheartening to mark milestones against my disease, that’s my new normal…and so it goes.

Whiplash!

This last year has been a blur in so many ways—and continues to be a non-stop whirlwind…

After all, it was just last July when I got sick, followed by “the diagnosis” in August and surgery in September.

That was topped off by 4 months of brutal chemo and then a reprieve when I had a ‘clear’ scan in Feb. Of course, it was just a few weeks later when I started having intense pain in my right hip, leading to the revelation that the cancer was back and moving through my body, initiating another 2 months of chemo followed by another ‘clear’ scan.

Now, just six weeks later, the hip pain is back significantly. And while I “don’t know” the cancer is back, I know the cancer is back. At this point, I don’t think it will ever leave with today’s tools/technology, but I DO think we can knock it back until they find something that WILL eliminate it once and for all…

And, the six-week break was not fruitless: I got lots of packing and cleaning done; I saw tons of friends and talked to many more; I planted flowers and pulled weeds – and had more than one discussion on the difference between those two; I broke and then fixed the garden tractor; I sold lots of stuff and gave away even more; and I had a wonderful long weekend in Mpls that culminated in re-connecting with lots and lots and lots of old and new friends, and seeing Iron Maiden again as icing on that cake.

A whole ton of very good memories added to the stack…

Unchartered Waters

I’ll talk to the docs out here this week, then circle back to UM. I’m really rethinking the UM option just because Aurora seems more willing to try new things. If anyone else has recos for a good hospital focused on patient health vs. SOP, I’m open to ideas.

I’m here in WI at least through EO Sept. I have a few more things to sell/give away, but I’m feeling OK where I’m at for now. I also have a sh*t-ton of paperwork to get to, from medical reimbursements to my application for SSDI, etc.

As of today, Sept. 4, I go back for a CT scan Sept. 12 w/ an oncologist follow up early the following week.

Stay tuned for the next thrilling installment!

To contribute financially: https://www.gofundme.com/61jndxs

For this and other installments of my story: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mingbrit/journal