Long Live Summer Vacation

Having raced home from Maine to have a scan and visit with the onc, I was certain that the time had come to buck up and start treatment again.  In fact, all indications were that my "treatment-free" interval was over.  However, despite continued tumor growth and a few failing numbers on my blood work, it seems that there is still some margin for me to stay off the juice.

Dr. S has given me clearance to remain "au naturale" for the summer with a scan and - shall I say certain? - return to chemotherapy in September.  I am glad, and quite surprised, to get the extra time....but boy am I gonna do my best to enjoy this summer!

For any number hounds out there, the larger tumors now measure about 1.8 inches in diameter....BB

Photos of Maine



Portland Head Light


We've made it back from a terrific time in Maine...our goal having been to hike trails, ride on boats, take photos and eat lobster.  I'm happy to report that we got it all done!  It is still busy here as Vicki prepares to leave for two weeks in Ireland and Dave returns from camp to host a friend from Virginia for a week or so. 

In the meantime, I had a scan yesterday and will follow up with the onc next week.  I expect it will be time to go back on the juice - but at least we are fitting in as much as we can before the plunge. 

Just for fun, I thought I'd share a couple of versions of this photo.  I can't help playing around with my shots in photoshop - the above is the original and below are two mutations based on my whim.  The first uses an effect called "Lomo" which replicates the look you get in old postcards from about 100 years ago.  I have a few things hanging in the house that I have "lomo'd".  The other is a different distortion technique I've been playing with to give images a more painterly appearance.  Enjoy! BB



Portland Head Light - Lomo




Portland Head Light B&W Smooth



School's Out for Summer

Finally....it's over!  After a crazy - hectic June, graduation day finally arrived last Thursday! Vicki and her class of '11 had a wonderful run and now they're all back to being lowly frosh in the fall!!

She and we topped it off with a nice party today here at the homestead!

Dave is off to camp tomorrow in New Hampshire and Rob & I are off to a (much anticipated) vacation in Maine.  So, poor Vicki is left to guard the castle and go to work....sucka!!!

Six More Weeks!

I had my follow up yesterday with Dr. S to see if I can stay off the juice until my July scan. I had blood work done last week and it all looked good except for some more increase in my CEA. But, since I feel pretty good and the bloods looked okay (they post them online so I can see them ahead of time), I was pretty optimistic about getting the remaining six weeks off until my next scan. The appointment did not disappoint, so I am free until July!


I have been truly fortunate this past year, with the tumors growing at only a modest rate. The pain has (so far) been manageable and I look forward to getting through Vicki’s graduation and a trip to New England with Robbie in late-June/early-July before the scan. I think we’ve about made it to the end of this road, however, and I doubt there will be another reprieve.

And, it actually didn’t rain yesterday! So, I was able to walk around Manhattan without getting soaked - even saw that big yellow fireball in the sky for the first time since I-don’t-know-when! Like the groundhog, I saw my shadow…perhaps that’s why I got six more weeks!

Maybe I'll build an Arc

Not sure if I moved to Seattle without remembering it but it has been raining here for days and the prediction is that it will continue through the weekend.  It’s a far cry from last week when every day was sunny and in the 70’s!  The big downside of all this rain is that it’s hard to take my daily woods walk.  Besides needing to gear up for the rain, the trails are extremely muddy and in many areas impassable.  Here’s a shot I took yesterday on a very short walk before the rain picked up and I retreated to the car.  The trail was a washout anyway so I wouldn’t have gotten too far….BB    

Just Birds (again)!



Wood Duck

On a lighter note, in my trail walks around Morristown this spring, I have noticed an increase in two species of birds. I have seen both before but not with the frequency that I have noticed them lately. They are the Wood Duck and the Goshawk. The Wood Ducks might be more noticeable because many of the trails I walk cross over lowlands, which have been extensively flooded now for weeks. The larger footprint of water in the woods might be bringing the ducks into better view. Or there may, in fact, be more of them.



Goshawk



On the Goshawk front, I have definitely seen more of them this year than any other. This could be good news since increases in predators are often a sign of a healthy ecosystem. An alternative reason can be that they are losing territory somewhere else. But, since new home construction in this area has been almost non-existent for several years now, I suspect that the increase in Goshawks reflects an increase in small prey animals (like the chipmunks who use my rock wall for a home).

Lastly, I made a new sighting this week of a bird I have never identified before. It is said to be common in the area, but like Goshawks and Wood Ducks, inhabits heavy woodlands and prefers to be secretive. I had never seen one (or frankly even heard of it) but I got a great look at one recently while strolling alone in a dense patch and positively identified it as a Black Throated Blue Warbler. Quite a good looking bird with a call much louder than its small stature would imply.



Black Throated Blue Warbler

So nature-lovers, go stroll your woods, fields and shorelines, perhaps you will catch a glimpse of something interesting!



Replacing OBL

The airwaves this week were full of information and commentary on the killing of Osama bin Laden and the repercussions of the event will go on for some time. It is interesting to note that the killing of the world’s most famous terrorist - and perhaps the most famous Arab of the 20/21st Century - means both very little and quite a lot. There are still thousands of extremists all over the world who were and will continue to be inspired by him. And as a result, our lives will continue to be molded by the need to combat them. Therefore, one could argue that his death really doesn’t change anything.

On the other hand, his defeat has real symbolic and practical consequences for millions of people. Does his demise send a message to his followers about the futility of their methods? How does it change (or end) the mission of U.S. forces in Afghanistan? Does it alter our policies toward Afghanistan? Pakistan? Iraq? Other Arab nations? Do the peaceful pro-democratic movements in Tunisia and Egypt, coupled with bin Laden’s death, usher in a new era in the economic and political development of that part of the world?

I don’t know. But here’s my wishful thinking on the topic. The people of the Middle East have a lot of problems. These problems stem from a long history of colonialism, tribalism, poverty, repression and ignorance. But I think that is changing and the change is being spurred by technology. While military might, the influence of money and the shackles of tribalism still dominate the area, the “Arab spring” movement, I think, shows that even poorer people in the region see firsthand – through internet/mobile technology/social media - the success of countries that were once like them (notably: China, India) and they ask “How come we’re not building our economies and making people’s lives better?” and “What happens to us when the oil money runs out?”. As a result, they may be changing their thinking from one of blaming the West or the other tribe’s sect or Israel and taking a hard look at themselves. And this self-examination has the potential to turn them away from violence-oriented solutions (for who has suffered more from sectarian violence than the Arab people?) and toward true nation building. What they need now is a Gandhi or MLK-like figure to rally people around non-violence and a recognition of everyone’s right to live in peace and prosperity. I hope that person emerges and replaces bin Laden as the most famous Arab of the 21st century.