The last maintenance cycle deviated from our expectations, instead bringing extreme fatigue and nausea. These unforeseen symptoms during "easy" chemo highlighted the unpredictability of a cancer journey, reminding us that assumptions should never be made. Over the past two weeks, I know I was particularly annoying to Phillip by repeatedly asking, "How are you feeling?" and "Do you need anything?" As a caregiver, there's a feeling of helplessness when the person you love and c

Phillip had his scan on Friday, December 5th and the results were posted the same day - thank goodness we did not have to go into the waiting game over the weekend. While I am trying not to analyze every word or "finding" on the radiologist's report, this scan came back indicating everything is stable . (As a side note, there's a notable gap in patient care, particularly in reviewing and comparing imaging over time. However, I'll save that discussion for the next person who b

This past Monday marked Phillip's 12th round of chemo. The arsenal of medications that his body has tolerated the past six months has been intense, but he still has been persevering through it all. We walked into Monday's appointment seeing a glimmer of light at the end of this hellish tunnel knowing "maintenance mode" would kick off at round #13. However, any positivity we carried was quickly diminished when we learned Phillip's hemoglobin was again at a critical level (6.8)

This week, Phillip underwent chemo #11 of 12. It's incredible to think that it's been over 22 weeks of this new chapter in life. We continue with our routine, some days feel like a haze or an alternate reality, while others are filled with beautiful moments of joy. As Andrea Gibson aptly put it, "I have lived so much longer in the last six months." Phillip had an extra week in between chemo #10 and #11 to go deer hunting. This was a welcome break for his body to heal after hi