Our writer’s group prompt was, “Tomorrow is the first day of summer break. Write about your expectations for the summer.” This is what I wrote.
Here’s the plan for Summer 2014: First, I’ll keep the appointment with my oncologist on June 23rd and he will confirm that my cancer continues to regress. He will again say, “You are responding to the IL-2 treatment and your reward is another round of treatment.” I think this is Dr. Curti’s favorite line, and I imagine feeling proud to be part of a happy moment for him.
My last IL-2 treatment will consume the month of July — with all of its discomforting side effects, two weeks in bed, and other indignities. Dedicating the month of July is better than OK; it’s a reasonable exchange for a stay of the death sentence conveyed by metastatic melanoma.
August will be a month of working to regain strength in preparation for the follow-up CT scan of early September. Then, at summer’s end, I’ll receive my diploma, passport, certificate of merit, my NED finding!
Time for a dramatic celebration followed by a romantic western states road trip — the kind that road trip media presents. High Sierras, National Parks, Canyon-lands, Tetons, Yellowstone … here we come!