"But it's the last cycle..."

Shuffleboard at the Greenbrier

Yes, it's the last chemo cycle!  And yes, we are excited about this.  And yes, we had a great get away at the Greenbrier.  But when family & friends remind us of this, it's hard to be overly enthusiastic.  These chemo weeks are still tough! Andrew has started his "blah" feeling where it's hard to muster energy to eat. And the chemo pack's incessant motor noise gets really annoying after a few days.
I'm reminded of how the last leg of the journey can feel like the longest.  Think, "Mom, are we there yet??" For me (CJ), the last 100m of the Mt. Kilimanjaro assent was the longest, hardest hike I've ever done.  Feeling the altitude at 19,000ft, I needed all the encouragement my climbing buddies (my fabulous sister-in-law Karen and our Dutch friend Margot) could offer.  I was the "bush" between these two "trees" (each 6ft tall) and their strides dwarfed mine.  My eyes were focused solely on my boots, taking one small step at a time.  It was Margot who finally got me to look up and notice we were practically there at the summit!  
I know we should look up from our boots and see the finish line ahead.  One step at a time we're getting there  - even as I'm not quite able to look up yet.

The End of Round Five

So, I'm (AJ) sitting here soaking up the final hours of the precious rest week, the 3rd week before it all starts over again.  While freezing time isn't an option and wouldn't be advisable in any case, it's been really nice over the past few days to be able to taste (more of) what I'm consuming, gather with family and friends and enjoy everyone's company, play some tennis, coach Evan and his little league teammates, and relax in front of some NCAA hoops action.  Life is so good!  

Alas, tomorrow morning, round 6 begins and I dread the 96-hour infusion of drugs into my body that awaits.  Even as I know the drill, and appreciate how the treatment I'm receiving is finely tuned to track down and stamp out any remaining cancer cells in my body, it's almost like my body from head to toe is screaming, "Enough!"  One sign of this is the neuropathy (a nerve problem that's a common side-effect of one of the chemo drugs) that has led to gradually increasing numbness, tingling and muscle weakness in my hands and fingers.  Thankfully, the scheduled 6 rounds of treatment will conclude this Friday and I continue to hope and believe that I will be cancer-free when the PET scan is carried out mid-April.  Appreciate all the positive thoughts, prayers, and deeds that so many continue to send our way - we feel incredibly blessed and uplifted by your support.    

Getting Away

Well, it's not skiing in the Alps or surfing in Costa Rica, but the Joneses are taking an early spring break to get away to Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia.  Andrew and I were there years ago - before we were married.  In fact, it is where we first played ping pong and I was quite proud of myself for staying even with AJ - until he announced, "OK, now I'll play you right-handed."  I recall being both angry (at myself for my foolish pride) and proud (of AJ for his racquet sport prowess).
And as we head back to the Greenbrier, I am once again angry (at the cancer and how much harder this is that I expected) and proud (again of AJ and how he continues to tolerate this!).  The five of us (ok, maybe just me!) desperately "need" a holiday - especially since we won't be able to travel much over spring break.  So this weekend feasting, playing tennis, hiking, wine tasting, and just lounging should be perfect. 
But don't stop praying for us.  Both Andrew & I have been sick this week.  Andrew's cough of last week has never quite dissipated, and I am recovering from three days of a fever/flu. We're heading into the sweet spot of the chemo cycle and it would be great if we all could enjoy it! Thanks!

The end of the week

Just a quick update to say that we had a good thorough check up with the doctor yesterday afternoon.  He thinks Andrew's fever/cough is just a bit of lingering bronchitis.  No pneumonia or infection of his port site. Phew.  The doctor put him on antibiotics and recommended a stronger cough medicine than what we've had on hand in our house.  So Andrew's back to the office today, fever-free,  a bit tired, and counting every minute until his chemo pack comes off at the end of the day.

Some like it hot...

But we don't!  Andrew woke up this morning with a fever and this is worrisome.  He spoke with a doctor and it's probably related to this persistent cough that keeps him (us) up at night. Bronchitis is not uncommon for this type of chemo.  We're off to the hospital shortly for an infusion appointment anyway and the doctor on call today is ready to see AJ to determine if he needs additional antibiotics.  I guess since Andrew has been so strong through all of this - working, playing tennis, hiking, coaching - I feel like this fever is striking out of left field.   But intellectually we know that we are so lucky to have come this far with Andrew feeling so strong.  Please pray this is just a minor setback and that Andrew is back to his normal cool self soon!  Thanks.

Brotherly Love

Gordon, Andrew & Ross on top of the world

As I slog through round 5 of chemo, I do so with an extra boost of energy on the heels of a great Jones Bros. reunion weekend.  Yes, all three of my brothers came to DC for the weekend and we enjoyed lots of good food, including a mouth-watering steak dinner that would have made our father shout for joy, conversation and laughter, and the obligatory forest bath, hiking to the top of a ridge with a sweeping view of the Shenandoah Mountains.  It was just what the doctor ordered for me, stocking up on loads of brotherly love and encouragement, making this week seem more manageable and the end more within sight.  Thankful for each day, for all our friends and family trekking with us, and especially for my brothers.  Life wouldn't be the same without them.

Lavish feasting

Last night Andrew and I went out to dinner at 2941, a swanky restaurant here in Falls Church. This was the perfect week to go.  AJ's taste buds are relatively normal now and his energy is high. We had a great feast of seafood (mostly tuna steak) with the most amazing combination of flavors.  We lived large. And all because of a gracious, unexpected gift from friends far away.
We're into the second week of Lent - usually a time of deprivation.  Don't worry, Andrew isn't giving up anything for Lent (since he's giving up plenty already).  But the contrast between Lenten discipline and this gift of a fabulous feast is striking.  It reminds me that beyond all the earthly gifts we've been given, Andrew and I are ever thankful for our faith in a God who desires to lavish us with love and a perspective beyond the here and now.  We'll need this broader perspective next week when Andrew has chemo. But til then, the memory of a perfect dinner is lavish enough.