My Local Park is Saving My Life

I live less than a mile from Cook Park in Tigard. For those who aren't familiar with it, Cook Park is an 80 acre park that connects to both Durham City Park and the Tualatin City Park. In my pre-chemo days, my various running routes (whether a 4, 5, or 6 mile run) took me through both Durham City Park and into Cook Park. 

I took this photo on my walk on April 1.

I loved running through the park. In the mornings it was usually quiet without many people on the path. I ran on the trails through the trees and along the Tualatin River. I tried to keep running through chemo, but it got to the point where I just couldn't do it any longer. But I can still walk, and so now I walk to and through the park when I can, and it has become an informal, but important part of my treatment plan.

There's just something about being among the trees that is good for my soul. There's something about standing on the edge of the Tualatin River and watching the water eddy and swirl as it flows by downstream that is deeply good for me. I will confess it has brought me to tears more than once. There's something about the smell of the fresh, damp air, and the movement of walking, and the sound of my feet crunching on the path, and the birds singing, and through the winter and into this spring seeing the buds on trees and bushes swell and turn green and put out leaves, and the bright colors of the flowers blooming -- the whole combination of it all feels so healing, so nurturing, so good for me...I can't imagine going through all these rounds of chemo without it.

I wonder about people who receive treatment like mine who don't have access to greenspace. I've seen a couple of Department of Corrections prisoners come to the infusion clinic for treatment. I can't imagine receiving chemotherapy and then going back to a prison. I wonder about people who live in densely populated urban areas who might not have a local park to go to like I do. And I wonder if doctors should include in their recommendations and treatment plans regularly accessing a local park or greenspace. It could be, "Take your medication at this time, and go to your local park three times per week."

I think I took my local parks a little bit for granted before chemo. Now I see them as essential for my well-being. I am grateful for many things these days, but now every time I go for a walk in my local park, I am especially grateful that it exists, that I live so close, and that there are people who maintain it so people like me can be blessed by all that it has to offer.

Post-5, Pre-6 Update

My apologies for not updating the blog sooner. Lots going on!

The good news is that I was not hospitalized during round 5. It was a close call. On Tuesday afternoon of nadir week (week of March 14), I could feel myself sliding down into the pit. It's strange how I can begin the day feeling relatively normal, and the in the space of a few hours, feel my energy drain away, the fatigue creep up, and the generally lousy feeling descend.

I was down all day Wednesday. I kept a close eye on my temperature, and while it was elevated,  during the day it didn't get too high. But by Wednesday evening, it crept up higher and almost crossed the threshold that sends me to the hospital. Wednesday night was a restless, uncomfortable night. Thursday I was down but my temperature was OK. By Thursday night I started to feel a bit better, and by Friday I continued to improve. Again, I could almost feel my bone marrow pumping out white blood cells and fighting off infection. The mouth sores this time weren't quite as intense and were much more manageable. Through the weekend, I continued to improve and entered this past week feeling pretty good.

This past week (week of March 21) was spring break in Oregon. Our family went to Seattle on Tuesday for three nights and had a great trip. I had blood work done on Monday before we left and got a call from the nurse saying my red cells were low. They wanted me to get another transfusion, but there was no way it could happen before we were planning to hit the road. Because I was feeling OK and didn't have any symptoms of low hemoglobin, they somewhat reluctantly cleared me to go without the transfusion. And so we headed off to Seattle on Tuesday morning. It was so refreshing to be out of our house where I spend so much time these days, out of Tigard, and in a new place. I almost forgot I have cancer and am undergoing chemotherapy. I needed that break from my life, and it came at a good time.

Now I am anticipating round 6 of chemo...the final round! As always, I really don't want to do it. But knowing it's the last time I have to go through it all definitely makes it easier. I have another MRI and CT scheduled for mid-April followed by appointments with my medical oncologist and the surgeon to talk about what comes next.

The stack of cards I have received from so many people continues to grow. Thank you for praying for me and for all of your support and encouragement!

Round Five Infusion Update

There isn't much to say about round five infusions. Thanks to Colleen, I got there each morning. Thanks to my friend Donna, and Kristin, and Allison, I got home each day.

Everything went as usual. Now I'm just in recovery mode, keeping nausea at bay and wondering what will happen next week when I enter the nadir. The doctor prescribed a prophylactic antibiotic that may help keep me from developing a problematic fever and infection - and thus prevent another hospitalization. He also reduced the dose of one of my chemo drugs with hopes that it would lessen the mouth sores I experienced last round.

I'll post next week when I have more information to share. Thanks for your continued concern and care!

Round Five: "Thank you sir, may I have another?"

Animal House Kevin Bacon GIFfrom Animal House GIFs

Round Five began today. I think this GIF from the movie "Animal House" (filmed in Oregon!) says it all.

Round Four Update

 I didn't restart this blog to solicit sympathy, but just to share information widely with anyone who is interested in keeping up with my treatments. So here's the facts on the aftermath of round four infusions.

I developed another fever and went to the hospital. I was there for four days and nights for IV antibiotics. I also had pretty intense mouth sores, so I was swishing regularly with the magic mouthwash. (If it really was magic, it would make them go away!) I was anemic so I received two blood transfusions as well as a transfusion of platelets. I went in on a Wednesday evening and finally returned home on Sunday afternoon.

The week after that my mouth sores mostly healed. I was more weak and tired, but I started to feel stronger as the week progressed. 

My time in the hospital was a bit of an ordeal as the hospital was full so I had to stay in the ER longer than I wanted to. I didn't have a window so I didn't see outside for a couple of days (a big deal for me). But I eventually got into a regular hospital room. Anyway, a story for another day...

On to round five...