Hi Friends,
Wow, it has been a long time since I wrote last and I wanted to give you an update. I saw my radiation oncologist last week and got an "all clear." Each one of those happy appointments is really precious right now because if the cancer comes back, it would come back quite quickly, so this is very good news. Last night at my meeting at Gilda's Club I talked with a woman who finished treatment for her breast cancer a month after I did and now it's in her liver. Uugh. Two other people in the group are now checking into respite care (one with brain cancer and one with lung cancer) so I left my meeting feeling very, very fortunate to have this behind me.
Our time at the cottage last month was really good and we were happy to have that time away. I'm now turning to prepare for the fall term. I'm still in negotiations with the insurance company, but I'm hoping to teach just one course this fall and work at 50% so I can get my energy back and my feet under me. So I have started prepping my course kit, which feels strange and good. The faculty at Queen's might be on strike shortly, so I might not be teaching for a while. I--like all faculty members at Queen's--hopes it doesn't happen, but if it does, I will do what I can to help. It's an interesting way to reintegrate back into the university. Back into the throws of life...
Since I have written last I have known several people diagnosed with cancer, so I have been showing them the blog and helping them get set up. It's hard to imagine a support group that would parallel all of you, but I see this format as being a godsend for anyone having to go through treatment.
August the 4th marks my one year since diagnosis, and that will be the day of my last entry to this blog. Thank you all for continuing to follow my progress and celebrate my recovery.
Love,
Kip
Wow, Kip, I clearly got mad at you too early--or at least without checking to see that you had actually written a new post! Or else you somehow snuck off last night and quickly wrote this and slapped a retroactive date on it just to pacify me! It's great to hear how things are going--especially to know that you got an all-clear signal at your recent appointment. BUT it's even better to see you face to face! Thanks for the trip to the country--and the free-range chicken and wine with screw tops....xo
ReplyDeleteBonne chance with the coming semester. With or without the blog, I will be thinking of you and hoping for only good results from here on. Take care of yourself and know that there's still lots of love and support for you. [Mary I. - soon back in Edmonton]
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