Stories of Lung Cancer

We tell ourselves stories in order to live.     ~Joan Didion

Bending the Internet to My Will?

Wonder Woman headshot

 

A couple of  folks have asked me about the supposed latest post that appeared here, which talked about my radiologist and radiation treatments. That was a post from March 25, 2021! It’s just that, no matter what I did, that piece would neither accept nor conform to the template for blog posts. I tried one last time– because dammit, I was going to make it work. It seemed to work– and then it didn’t. I tried one last time again and republished it. Then, no matter how I tried to change the date, it wouldn’t. Now the template doesn’t work again. So I surrender. (It’s not really bending the internet to my will, it’s more bending this program to it. Yes, I could talk to the program maker, but that’s a pain, so I’ll just live with it….)

 

Illustration of webpage user interface

 

In terms of news from the lung cancer front, things are quiet for a bit. I don’t start with doctors again until Friday the 25th, when they check my lung functions. That involves blowing into things and a 6-minute walk– that’s got to include the treadmill. (Could you imagine a lab tech trotting along behind me as I cruise around the transit hub nearby?)  I hope I get to blow into things as I do it– it’d be so interesting. And maybe give useful information for working out!

The 28th starts the cancer stuff again: that morning, a PET scan, in the afternoon, an appointment with Dr. Lungs to review lung function tests. The 29th is the MRI. March 2nd is the visit with Dr. Oncology. Hmm. I should probably make a visit with Dr. Radiology, so she can look at the scans as well. Of course, today I feel like I’m getting a cold, so the whole schedule may be a wash. By that I mean, everything may end up needing to be rescheduled. Cross your fingers for me. (Hmm. Time for a home Covid test.)

MRI machine

 

The local lung cancer support group met this morning via Zoom. I am always in awe of how long people have lived with such serious illness, how many times people have stood at the precipice of death, only to be pulled back by the grace of a medical trial or risky chemo treatment. Someone this morning said something about her options when the cancer progresses. I was struck by her matter-of-factness and the nods across the computer screen. And, these folks know so much, about mutations that drive the illness, treatments that address particular mutations, lousy doctors, good doctors…. I feel very lucky.

On other fronts, in response to overwhelming exhortations, I applied for the job. (That’d make for an interesting interview topic. Them: “What led you to apply for the position?” Me: “Peer pressure.”) I learned a lot from the first part of the process. We’ll see if any other parts emerge.

Frosting School! What a lovely distraction. Here’s the latest, a sampler of all kinds of techniques:

 

Over-decorated cake, pink and white frosting

 

It’s totally unhealthy– do NOT ask what’s in that sugar bomb icing– but oh, did it taste good. Notice I spoke in the past tense. That’s because the cake arrived home Tuesday, and by Friday, three of us had managed to polish off the whole thing. I kept reminding myself I really do want this steroid weight to go away, but who could resist the abundance of sweet designs? Well, cake, too, but we all know cake is merely a conveyance for frosting.

Thanks for reading. Here’s hoping a sugar bomb drops into your life today, and that you enjoy ever mouthful.

 

Truffles

 

The first post: Lung Cancer Began in a Blur

Diagnosis & Treatment: One Chapter of the Story

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Wonder Woman image by ErikaWittlieb from Pixabay

Webpage design image by Mudassar Iqbal from Pixabay 

MRI image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

Truffles by Alexander Stein from Pixabay 

 

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