Cancer is like a bad boyfriend. After smacking the shit out of you, he promises to do better, goes to AA and lulls you into a false sense of complacency. Then....
Three weeks ago, my Doctor called - he was concerned that my last blood test showed an increased level of so-called "cancer markers". He suggested one more blood test before my regularly scheduled meeting with him on Friday. Well, today he decided to put me back on chemo. My "cancer markers" are up, and, even though he didn't see an increase in the tumor size on my CT scan, he thought it better to be safe than sorry. Party's over. But, damn, I had a good time during my 6 month break!
And, you know me - the glass is always half full. There was a reason that deer took out our van, forcing Steve to buy a sedan. Now we'll be traversing the highway to Baltimore in a car that doesn't waste as much gas and has fully functioning air-conditioning! The money I put aside for the trip to California that I now wouldn't be able to take? Paid for the car. See? Master Plan. 100 degree DC summer with monster humidity? Time to cut my hair again anyway.
I confess to having had my fingers crossed, hoping to be able to see Nelly graduate. I did it. So, I'll live up to my part of the bargain and go quietly back to chemo. Although I will confess to stuffing my face with onion rings and a DQ blizzard before I have to turn myself in next week. Coping mechanism. Really. I am now officially back on celery and salad.
Back to the Master Plan... Last weekend, I clipped the newspaper before Steve and I started our day of errands and found a coupon for a discount breakfast at "Friendlys" in Burke. Sitting across from us at the restaurant was a teenager wearing a purple tee-shirt advertising the "PurpleStride DC." I was astonished and asked her about it. Turns out we were missing a walkathon for pancreatic cancer. Tuesday, June 14th was also the 5th Annual "Pancreatic Cancer Advocacy Day"on Capitol Hill. I was gobsmacked that all my internet research hadn't led me to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. So my new bargain is, if I'm healthy enough next Spring, I'm putting a purple shirt on and I'm walking the walk!
