Some really good news, the physical I had last week indicated that the tumor is gone. The doctor scheduled a PET scan for tomorrow and I liked his choice of words, not to know if the treatment was successful and not to just see if there is any cancer about but to CONFIRM that there isn’t any cancer active at this time. So his diagnosis is that it is gone and is doing the scan to confirm his judgement. And, as explained early in the process, the first PET scan suggests non recurrence for several years out if the PET scans are negative in the second and third years then the statistics show I am good for 20 to 25 years before I get hit by a bus or I am overcome by some other malady. So it will be a few days before I know the test results, then it is time for a checkered flag victory lap to a place of healing for me, see Raro below.
It is hard to believe that it is about three weeks the last radiation treatment. The immediate weeks following were a version of hell from which I slowly emerged. These last couple weeks I have started to feel almost normal. First we had a three day trip to Anza Borrego Park, my first trip out of town since September. Each day there had a little adventure, as well as, a lot of comfort. Also I have returned to Monday night dance and the occasional Zumba class. Not full speed but I am moving my body and feeling more alive. This last Monday I went to dance and really let go for a while, it felt wonderful although today has been a good deal of penance for not reeling myself in enough. Our next trip is a real road trip! We are scheduled to visit our older son and grandchildren in Placerville CA in a week.
Even better, at the end of April, Susan and I have scheduled a trip to one of my favorite places on the planet, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. This will be our fifth trip there. It is one of those fundamental questions adventurous people ask themselves when planning a trip, do you go to someplace new or someplace you have been to that was wonderful. We travel enough to new places but there are magic places we return to and Rarotonga is that for me. We discovered it by accident on our our first trip to the South Pacific. We went from Tahiti to Rarotonga to Fiji. We had some idea what Tahiti and Fiji would be like but Raro was unknown. I almost hate to let out the secret of the place. There are 8 islands that make up the Cook Islands with a population of about 16,000, 8,000 or which are on the main island of Rarotonga. It is protected by New Zealand and uses that currency but all the land is locally owned and you cannot live there without local permission. They get maybe 60,000 visitors a year mostly from New Zealand some from Australia, Canada and not much from the US. There is only one direct flight a week from the US/LA to Raro. There are no traffic signals, no chain hotels or restaurants. There is one movie theatre and the fellow who takes your ticket also serves refreshments and runs the single projector, so you get refreshments durning reel changes. Some people describe as Hawaii before WWII.
The snorkeling is great we even got dive certified on one trip although we only snorkel now. The church music is ethereal. We never miss a chance to hear it even if we have to be up at 7:30 AM on a weekday on our vacation. The singing and dancing is remarkable. We love this place, it is remote, exotic and totally comfortable. Healing to the inner soul which is looking for a simpler way of life.
A couple dances:
this is the song in my heart from Raro
Salvation
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