Blue Skies and Cupcakes

Brain cancer is...

  ...much better with cupcakes.

So sayeth the Birthday Mousse. His birthday high point was definitely the doggy cupcake Zach and Summer gave him in the evening.

We spent the day gearing up for next week's cancer eradication efforts, including blood work orders and conversations with insurance companies and doctors. 

It was a beautiful day.  We couldn't ask for anything more.

A(nother) Great Day!

Brain cancer is...

...having a(nother) great day.  

I dropped my phone (again!) and broke the screen (again!) today.  The phone is locked and requires keypad entry, which I cannot provide because...the screen is broken.  Darrell recognized me as a woman on the edge and took me straight to the AT&T store for a new phone. See?  Super hero.

I can't access most of the day's photos, but here are some reasons why it was a(nother) great day:

1. It's still raining!
2. We ordered Darrell's final round of chemo today!
3. It's Mousse's first birthday!  He doesn't look that happy, above, but he hasn't had his cupcake yet.
4. Breakfast with Gordon was great.  We're starting to plan his 90th birthday.  [Here's the inaccessible picture of us at the Village Eatery, in front of the "Glendora" mural.]
5. Lunch and the afternoon with LuAnn were also great. [Here's the inaccessible picture of LuAnn and Darrell in front of one of her favorite Mexican places in Azusa.] 
6. The Welshons welcomed their newest granddaughter today! 

Today is proof that some Mondays are Fundays.

Drinking Up the Rain

Brain cancer is...

 Alternate Video Link

...loving every drop.

A rainstorm surprised us today.  It was such a surprise that we didn't get the outdoor cushions covered in time.  You'd think we'd start taking the rain for granted.  Nope!  We need every single inch of it.

This site shows that, at this time last year, less than one percent of California had no drought conditions.  This year, nearly two thirds of the state is out of the drought.  It's lingering here in the south of the state, so keep it coming, storm clouds! 

Darrell continues to feel great.  Our only cancer eradication items for the coming week are some phone calls to insurance, pharmacy, doctors and the like and our interview with Tiffany for Darrell (and me) to become Optune Ambassadors.

We hope you are having a slow news day and great weather too.

Ducks in a Row

Brain cancer is...

...putting (vacation) ducks in a row.

This evening we spent with Beth and Geoff, putting our ducks in a row for the March vacation.  Yes, the dry erase board behind Beth holds the game plan. Come on, March!

Bonus Content

Still more fun with the English language at the park:  How do you know your ducks are in a row?


Like this:

Here's to your ducks this Saturday night!


 

We love LA!...and LA!

Brain cancer is...

...giving us so many opportunities to enjoy new adventures--and then to come back home.

We returned to LA's Union Station at 6:30 a.m. and arrived at Fullerton at 8:00.  Our New Orleans, LA trip gave us yet another chance to appreciate human stories and the settings in which they unfold across time.

Back at Craig Park for our walk, Darrell reestablished his Coot Dominance.

Coot Dominance (Alternate Link)

Happy Friday, Everyone!  Here's to your story, wherever you're playing it out.

Day 7: All Train, All Day

Brain cancer is...

...spending the day in Texas.

We have truly learned to appreciate a long day of doing nothing on the train. We are very busy watching America roll by. Ok, and also listening.  Some Team D members (Mom!) liked the word pictures we painted rolling to Chicago, so here are two favorite quotes from the observation car today:

• "You know I was raised a communist."
• "Of course kiwis grow well in Montreal."

We have no way of authenticating either of these statements.

To share a bit about our new friends, Judy and Bob, please know:

• They boarded with us in New Orleans.
• We saw them the day before at the museum.
• They are going all the way to LA...
• ...and traveling on to their home in Oxnard.
• They have a daughter who lives in Goleta.
• Bob was an engineer. 
• Bob's naval helicopter was shot down the day before the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. No PTSD.
• Bob and Judy were high school sweethearts  from Janesville, Wisconsin.

We will stop here, but some Team D members may pick up on a few connections.

We are leaving Texas soon, for New Mexico, Arizona, then Palm Springs.

Here's how busy we were in Texas:

Day 7: Texas

Day 6, Train 1

Brain Cancer is...

...back on the train. 

Our departure from New Orleans was sad but smooth.

Darrell has been socializing across the Southeast. More on our new friends Bob and Judy from lunch...and Oxnard...plus our dinner friends from Mississippi/Georgia tomorrow. 

We came through Louisiana in the dark headed east, so headed west, we appreciated how wet the land was.  You'll see so in the video.

Train 1

Happy San Antonio Wednesday! 

N'awlins Day Five and Final

Brain cancer is...

...such a great reason to eat everything in sight.

Well, the local cuisine is fabulous, as all y'all know.  We have eaten everything that couldn't crawl away from us.  Alligator, shrimp, catfish, greens, grits, cafe au lait and beignets?  Yeah, we did!

The National World War II Museum was really well done.  We can see why it's listed as the #1 attraction in New Orleans by Trip Advisor.  It would have taken days to learn everything that was presented.

Tomorrow morning it's back on the train for 48 more hours of fun, heading home.

Our last day in NOLO: the video.  

We hope you had a tasty day too!

Lovin' New Orleans!

Brain cancer is...
...enjoying Valentines (again), this time at Brennan's.

Here's the view from the Executive Lounge at breakfast.

We are enjoying the water traffic up and down the Mississippi River.

Brennan's is the New Orleans classic that invented Bananas Foster.  Missing all you Bananas Foster lovers back at home.

The Day in New Orleans
(Updated video 2/21 with a couple more pics of Brennans.)

Bonus Topic by Darrell

Darrell Guillaume, Man of Mystery.
The food servers on the train were convinced that I had some exotic accent and that I had access to medical technology that they did not.  When we told them that Optune was developed by an Israeli company they said, "We knew it!"

Sunset Limited Day Three

Brain cancer is...

...learning about Texas.

Don't say, "I told you so."

We are two hours outside New Orleans. We will Uber to our hotel and see you tomorrow, Chere.  

A day in (mostly) Texas.

Sunset Limited Day Two

Brain cancer is...

...in Texas.

First time ever! And we walked less than a mile. Phew!

Even though we are in Texas now, we spent the day in Arizona.  Here's a video recap of the day.
Sorry about the spelling error in Mardi Gras.

Happy Saturday, Team D! 

(Sunday 10 am update: No Internet last night.)

The Big Easy

Brain cancer is...
...back on the train, Baby!

We continue our Amtrak escapades for our big February trip: the Sunset Limited all the way to New Orleans.  We have both loved NLO on separate business trips, and now we are looking forward to frolicking there together. Of course we mostly are looking forward to the train ride.  

This is our first trip on the Sunset Limited, which is billed as the second transcontinental line in the US, despite the fact that Hurricane Katrina interrupted its East Coast stops. We will be hugging the Mexican border and are in for some great desert views, as our route map shows. 

Here is a slideshow video that gets us from Fullerton into Room B. 

Ahhh!

We hope you are safe, sound, and dry. Here's to your Friday! 

Actively Seeking "Open"

 (Readers Advisory:  Here comes a long 'un.)

Brain cancer is...

...working hard to live up to our Word.

On January 1 we shared our word of the year:  Open.  We commented in our 1/1/17 post that during 2016 we stumbled through life to discover the importance of openness, and we committed to actively pursue open for 2017.

So that's what we did today.  Here are two stories about open:

1.  Andi's ABTA Open Story:   We have discussed in this blog how much assistance we have received by reading the online community, American Brain Tumor Association, postings. Neither D nor A  has participated in online communities before, but we learned our lesson with ABTA.

Despite how much A has learned by reading, I posted infrequently.  I just read.  With Darrell's one-year anniversary, and with our commitment to open, we posted Darrell's great news (a one-year, non recurrence is still statistically unusual).  We thought people new to the diagnosis might benefit and hope.  True that.  Our post has 50 replies, each with people striving for their one-year anniversary.  We made friends in Missouri, Texas, and Florida as we discussed Darrell's future...and the future of the GBM friends in the community.  So...I made the mistake of checking the community this morning.  I started the day crying because I read posts like this:

"Well, the roller coaster ride continues....radiation oncologist says new area is too large for gamma or cyber knife, so an additional 12 days of targeted radiation will go along with the carboplatin/Avastin therapy. However...(there is always a caveat) another PET is being ordered on the off chance that the new area is just dead tissue, not recurrence. Wouldn't that be a wonderful surprise? And we are still in limbo about Duke. And Optune can't start until after radiation if he has to have it. So again, we wait.  Here's to all of us, patients and caregivers, who seem to always...ALWAYS be waiting."
Cyber knife. Who should know words like that?  Who should know that there's always a caveat?  Who should know that we are always waiting? Again we urge Team D members facing medical crud to join a community.  People know stuff.  People are open.

2.  Darrell's Ambassador Story:  Who knows why Darrell is beating the stats (other than he wakes up every morning saying, "Today is going to be a great day," and he has the incredible support of Team D...), but we can't let Optune escape public notice.  Today we completed an application for the Optune Buddy Program, which connects new GBM patients considering Optune as part of their treatment.  This despite Darrell is a private person who doesn't relish speaking.  So...if you happen to be diagnosed with GBM and are thinking about treatment options, Darrell might be your buddy.

I am very proud of my husband.

It is only because we chose open that when we were doing this...

...we saw this...

And in case you are open to more flowers...We walked through our neighborhood and loved this:

Happy Thursday!

Sue's in the House

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying a visit from Sue Yoast.

We saw Summer's mom last in Carpinteria for Christmas, so it's great that she headed south for some Fullerton Fun.

Happy Hump Day!

Happy Valentines Day, All You Animals!

Brain cancer is...

 ...enjoying a day for lovers of all species.

We started our day with an Egyptian Goose kiss (above).
Zach and Mousse enjoyed free play at the park with us on Mousse's first Valentine's Day:

We arrived home later to this wonderful surprise:

Clandestine CSUF Cupids!  You filled up our Valentines hearts with all of our favorites!
Darrell dried up my teary fest with this effort:

Don't worry.  He's an engineer.  He freed himself.
We ended our day...

...fabulously, dahlings!


Update 7:45 P.M.

Summer joined us for dinner after work.  LaCroix Cheers, everyone!

Thank you, Team D., for making another holiday truly wonderful.  We hope today you are with those you love...of all species.

Where the Heck is Darrell?

Brain cancer is...

...sooo popular!

Entering Dr. Park's office for his monthly appointment today was like entering Cheers in the classic TV show:  "Darrell!"  (Or maybe like when Darrell's dad goes to the gym:  "Gordon!!")

The receptionist was the first to greet Darrell.  JoAnne's eyes lit up when she asked, "Where have you been?"  Ken the phlebotomist was second to celebrate Darrell's arrival.  Next came the nurse, Karen, above.  We caught up on kids and movies with Karen.  As we left, it was great to see the nurse navigator, Deborah, who concluded our visit with some great restaurant recommendations.

The appointment went well in the medical sense too:

• Blood levels are good.
• Round 11 of maintenance chemo commences tonight. Dr. Park commented on how well Darrell has tolerated each aspect of his treatment, notably the radiation and chemo.
• March's scan is booked.
• We had many thanks for Dr. Park because this is the first time since Darrell's anniversary that we have seen him:  We thanked Dr. Park for being there in the hospital when Darrell was admitted.  We thanked him for his kindness and concern and for his willingness to take Darrell on as a patient, even though his schedule was very congested.  Finally, we thanked him for introducing us to the notion of Optune.  
• We began to plan the future, post-chemo course of action with Dr. Park.  Whoo Whoo!

We ended the day with a spontaneous pre-Valentine's dinner date with Zachary at Olive Pit.  This sunset was a nice way to end the day:

We hope your sun set on a successful Monday too.

Quotable

Brain cancer is...

...ever quotable.

In explaining the moment, above, to me, Darrell said, "Sometimes you just need to sit and enjoy life for a minute."

True, true.

Happy Sunday!

Second Annual Great American Chip Off

Brain cancer is...

 

...keeping up with tradition.

Can you believe that it's already time for the annual Great American Chip Off?  The first annual Chip Off was February 11, 2016.  This year we refined things a bit.  Everyone contributed at least two bags of chips, and we added dip.  We will plate the chips nicely and enjoy a tasting, probably in place of dinner. 

We're posting early in case you wanted to run out and get some chips. 

Happy Saturday, Team D!

Date Nights, Date Days

Brain Cancer is...

...maximizing time spent dating.

Of the past 24 hours, we spent 13 hours dating.

We kicked off our dating binge with Melanie and Gail with a truly wonderful dinner/spirit stories/talk time at Hidalgos.
 

Next, we started the morning with a breakfast date with Gordon, who escaped my camera's scrutiny.  We visited his gym.  When we walked in, everyone greeted him by name.  Our dad, the gym rat. 

We moved on to a leisurely lunch with LuAnn, dining al fresco before the rain came.

Back at her home, we enjoyed time with Mom's finches, koi, and native plants.  There was no meat involved in this Darrell/LuAnn cucumber tussle.

We ended our dating extravaganza with a one-year anniversary cupcake cheers with Zach and Summer.

You know life is good when you spend more than 50% of any 24 hours dating.  Happy Friday, Friends! Make it last!

Enjoying Home and Hamsters

 Brain cancer is...

...enjoying home and its routines.

We worked in the front yard today and appreciated what home has to offer.  Thanks, people who planted camellias in the yard 60 years ago!

Darrell is keeping up with his speech routine too.

Above he is reading to me about hamsters.  True or false:  Hamsters' whiskers sense temperature differences.

Darrell's says it's true, and he would know.  He also says, "Here's hoping your whiskers do the same."

Maxing Out those Percentages!

Brain cancer is..

...maxing out all the percentages that matter.

Darrell's latest Optune compliance, measured today?  It's 98%, Baby!  Optune Amy says Darrell is now tied for first place.  

Sure, but don't you think the tie-breaker for first place could be Andi's patented four-ply braid?

Our niece Stephanie named it the quadraplex.

Another importance percentage:  Friend support.

Unlike Darrell's Optune compliance, which has edged constantly upward, our friend support levels have held steady at 100%. 

Thank you, Friends, both near and far!

A Year of Brain Cancer in Ten Posts

Brain cancer is...

 ...a year old.

Darrell's Brain Cancer in the Making

• February 7, 2016:  Darrell was admitted for symptoms similar to those of a stroke.  
• February 8:  MRI and diagnosis of Glioblastoma Multiforme.  
• February 9:  Surgery.  
• February 11: Home. 

This Blog in the Making

When Darrell was still in the hospital, in a phone conversation I told Alex I was considering blogging about Darrell's and his family's cancer experience.  I wasn't sure that it would be of interest; people are all busy and facing their own lives.  Alex told me, "Mom, I promise you that you will have two devoted readers every day."

Two was enough for me.  Darrell agreed.  Thanks, Alex, for encouraging us to get the blog going, thanks for helping us keep it going, and thanks to you and Tiana for keeping your promise.  We also thank you readers beyond our base readership of two.  Team D., you have provided support from the first day until today.  We are so very grateful for you!

Top Ten Posts of 2016

Before we turn our attention to the next adventures, we would like to provide a retrospective of the first year of Darrell's brain cancer by sharing ten top blog posts.  We selected posts that spread over the year, had high readership (average = 220 pageviews each), and felt right for capturing the experience.

We present to you:  Ten Top Posts of Brain Cancer is....

1. February 5: Welcome to the Adventure
2. February 15: Healing Nicely
3. April 20:  Sweetness
4. June 2:  A & T Head Home
5. July 3:  Looking Right
6. August 4:  Pseudoprogression (and Pokemon)
7. September 19:  Lighting a Candle
8. October 4:  My Husband, My Hero
9. November 27:  So Excited for the Season
10. December 9:  Andi Married a Bear

The adventures of 2017? Let them commence!

Spreading the [Car Maintenance] Love

Brain cancer is...

...spreading the car maintenance love.  

If you need your oil checked--any make, any model--just pull on up and ask for Summer or Zach.

Brain cancer is also today giving way to future plans.  Darrell has an annual February appointment with our dermatologist, Dr. Rosenberg.  For his 2016 appointment, Darrell had trouble speaking clearly to Dr. Rosenberg.  In retrospect, that was one of the first indicators that something other than work stress might be up.

No such worries during today's appointment.  In fact, when Dr. Rosenberg handed Darrell this slip of paper at the end of the appointment:

Darrell said, "That's my next goal:  To make it to my 2018 dermatologist's appointment."  I think I'll stick around and drive him.

Ultra Walk

Brain cancer is...

 ...NOT at St. Jude's Emergency Department.

The Super Bowl was on all the televisions in the hospital when Darrell was admitted to the Emergency Department a year ago.  To honor the anniversary of Darrell's trip to the hospital, we decided to do something anti Super Bowl:  Ultra Walk.

Darrell and I chose to earn the "Trail Shoe" Fitbit badge:  30,000 steps in one day.  We started at Carbon Canyon Park and the Wildcatters Dog Park.  Then we headed to Acacia Park, Craig Park, and the Fullerton Arboretum.  Boom!

For comparison's sake, 30,000 steps translates to 14 miles for us.  Walking 14 miles in one day is so much better than going to the Emergency Room with a brain tumor!

We hope your Super Bowl Sunday is a winner as well.

Look Up

Brain cancer is...

  ...enjoying (another) beautiful day.

Happy Saturday!

 (Image #1 is by Summer.  She said the cloud was singing.)

Friday Family Fun

Brain Cancer is...

...happy to be surrounded by family.

Above Darrell is laughing about the voodoo magic he used to reset LuAnn's truck key fobs (close the door, open, close the door.  Turn the ignition key ten times.  Honk the horn twice..). He was worried that the truck locked very well but was unlockable.  Success!  This adventure was after we had a great lunch with LuAnn:

And also we had a great breakfast with Gordon at Village Eatery.  Today we connected with Don, the owner...

...over Darrell's cancer adventure and our combined kids' adventures.  Yes, we have loved Don and his wife Donna (not available today) weekly for years, but today was the day we personally connected.  Not making a big deal about the word open....


What a Friday!

(Bonus points:  Yesterday we asked about Home Depot's most dangerous rental tool.  You knew it was not a chainsaw.  What was it?  Bonus points go to:  GORDON GUILLAUME who knew immediately that the most dangerous tool is...a ladder! Gordon said he knew because he broke a hip just carrying a ladder.  Breakfast is on us, Dad!)

The Buzz about Chainsaws

Brain cancer is...

...no reason to avoid dangerous power tools!

Darrell's first words this morning were, "I am a lumberjack."  And thus he launched the chainsaw adventure.  No one in our house has used a chainsaw (weird!), but we needed to cut up some large wood chunks for our outdoor fire pit.  The chainsaw challenge was successful. 

For more information, check out our one-minute video of today's power tool adventure.

Alternate Video Link

(Bonus Points:  The Home Depot man says that, although a chainsaw is dangerous, it's not their most dangerous rental tool.  Which tool is most dangerous? Answer to be posted tomorrow.)

Hello February!

Brain cancer is...

 ...celebrating February.

Darrell says, "Cheers, February!" and celebrates with a tuna sandwich at Panera.  Only the best to welcome in a new month.

Word of the Year:  Report on its First Month

You may recall that we and some other Team D members each select a Word of the Year, as explained first on our 2/28/16 posting. Our word for 2017 is open.  We typically check on the word's "fit" as the year unfolds.  Open worked well in January.  Here's its progress report:

• We really felt open to you with your happy moments, struggles, and adventures during January.  Thanks for being open to share.
• We feel open to strangers' experiences.   Here's one quick vignette.  In the parking garage at UCLA, a man was singing as he and his wife approached the elevator where we stood. He paused his singing to ask Darrell, "What are you wired for?  Not television?"  This fellow's openness to learn about Darrell's Optune encouraged a conversation that had the fellow, his wife, and D and A crying as we shared both the shock of cancer diagnoses and the miracles of medicine.  He was alive only because UCLA accepted him as a patient needing a transplant after chemotherapy irreparably damaged his liver.  There was only one hospital in the nation that would take him:  UCLA.  We parted expressing gratitude for UCLA, other great facilities, and advances in the treatment of cancer.  Each couple wished the other well with the sort of intensity known especially by those facing tough diagnoses.  Those 5 minutes near the elevator were the best minutes of our day, and they happened because people were open to each other's hurt and healing. 
• We continue to feel open to the wonders of the natural world.

Like these!

•  We are using the word to understand our emotions.  Despite how much we love life every day, we are sometimes sad.  The word open is proving useful because it encourages us to be open to sadness in the midst of immense gratitude.  It encourages us to let emotions settle in.  When we give sadness or other emotions enough time, we think more clearly about how to incorporate them into our larger experience.  So far this approach has proven successful in pushing us back into the light.  All that therapy in just one word! 

If you picked a word for the year, how is it working out?