Health Update

I am now half way through chemo. This second course has been much easier than the first one. I did have to have neupogen shots this time (neupogen helps the body make white blood cells) but they reduced the dose significantly so I didn't have as many bad effects from them. My red blood counts are low and I tire easily and am short of breath. I am doing Pilates once a week (I had hoped to do it back home twice more a week, but didn't do it). I also walked 35 minutes yesterday and today. It is really tiring. I hope that the chemo continues to get easier. I spoke to the oncologist in Cleveland. Basically, she said that the pathologists came to the same conclusion as those in Memphis. The only thing of concern is that most oncological surgeons will remove lymph nodes (it appears that cancer will spread first to the lymph nodes) and that mine were not removed. (That's a large part of the reason I'm doing chemo). I'll have a CT scan and see the Cleveland oncologist in September.

I presided at a funeral of a parishioner this morning. I can't believe she is gone. She was only 83. She'd had two strokes before I came here, but was the most wonderful person. The family was estatic with the service.

I haven't lost more hair, but I expect to begin losing more hair beginning on Friday. My shaved hair is growing out a bit! I still have eyebrows (mostly) and eyelashes. I won't wear a wig, but I think I'm going to get false eyelashes.

I'm still planning to go to South Korean and Mongolia in July. I'll also be with my lectionary group in August in Alaska.

I can't believe it when I feel good. It's not the way I used to feel, but wow it feels good not to hurt, even if I'm really tired. I would prefer not to have had ovarian cancer, but so far, things are almost as good as one could possibly hope for. I am truly grateful for this and for the support of my friends here in Memphis, my sister who has been with me twice now and my son. My congregation has been really supportive. In fact, the matriarch said today that she thought I had come back to preaching much too soon.

Thank you for your support and prayers.