Looking Ahead

What a difference a couple of weeks can make!!!!!!!  Judi completed radiation almost 3 weeks ago, and she told me at the end of it that she was sure the two Dr. Maliks were trying to kill her without quite doing it.  She told us yesterday that her abdomen is still warm to the touch, and I suggested that must have meant they only cooked her to "rare".  Then Nancy arrived from Chicago the weekend of March 14 and stayed with Judi for a week.  With Nancy's great attentiveness, Judi's energy gradually came back to the point that they were able to go out for lunch most days and to walk Wally.  Just as Nancy was heading back to Chicago, the Zic family arrived from Chicago and whisked Judi off to Edisto Island, SC for an amazing dose of comfort!  They returned to Clemson on Friday evening, and I thought Judi looked like a different person.  Hence, what a difference a couple of weeks can make……….friends, food, Margaritas, walks, beach, warm weather, sunshine, no radiation or chemo.

Judi joined my family and some other friends for Easter dinner, and it was great to see the color and glow back in her face.  We mixed the Margaritas (this seems to be the only alcoholic drink she can tolerate right now), ate dinner and talked a lot.  And then this morning, we got to go back to see Dr. Malik.  Her bloodwork was good, so she starts back into chemo tomorrow morning.  This is supposed to be the next to last round, so she sees the light at the end of the tunnel.  When Dr. Malik walked in the door this morning, she was telling him that she was going to have chemo tomorrow!  I never thought anyone could be so anxious to have that treatment!

She will have 4 days of chemo this week.  Next week will consist of a CT scan on Monday, a PET scan on Tuesday, another appointment with Dr. "Mr." Malik on Wednesday, and an appointment with Dr. Kooby at Emory in Atlanta on Friday.  Her friend, Annie, will arrive Sunday, April 6 to spend a week here.  Then we hope Judi's last round of chemo will start on April 14.  Words cannot describe just how much she is looking forward to being done with all of this!!!!!!!!!!!  She wants to go back to work and get back to all her normal activities.

So please keep her in your thoughts, prayers and practices as she gets through these last two rounds of chemo and moves into what we all pray will be a VERY, VERY long remission!!!!!!!

Huge thanks to Nancy and to Claude, Liana and Matthew for all you did to help her recuperate from the radiation.  I've learned so much through all of Judi's illness, but the MOST important reminder throughout has been the absolute, unrefutable value of friends and family.  Many thanks to all of you.