An Auspicious Day for Numbers

Brain cancer is...

...celebrating good numbers.

We don't mean to bore you with Darrell's incredibly high Optune compliance rate, but here it is again.  Average daily usage?  98%.  Boom.

More great numbers:  G1, G2, and G3.

Guillaume Generations 1, 2, and 3, as pictured above.  G1:  Gordon; G2:  Darrell, Brady, and Linda; G3:  Christian.

Another great number:  6/30 (today).  It's Linda's birthday!  Hurrah!  The ketchup on the table at Islands said...Heinz 57...of course!  That's her magical number today.  And Darrell's handicap parking pass expiration date?  6/30/19...of course!

Today we suggest:  Play the numbers!

Andi's Perfect Day

Brain cancer is...

..making things happen.

I'm sorry to keep talking about work, but work provides a new lens for life through contrast.  Today Darrell created my perfect day.  It went like this:

• I slept until 9:30 (after two weeks of 6:00).  
• He greeted me with hot coffee (yes, and whipped cream) while I was still in bed.
• We finally walked in the park again (above).
• I spent the day grading.
• We had a wonderful dinner on the patio at Hidalgo's.

•   The guitarist made it perfect. He said that it wasn't the first time that he'd heard that he had mad skills.

 

• We finished with a walk through Fullerton's Farmer's Market.

It's great to be alive and out and about, isn't it?  Thanks, Darrell.

Wacky, Wondrous Wednesday

Brain cancer is...

...off to great places (without leaving the area).

Our Life 3.0 saying is, "Everyone works." We all need to be engaging in a daily productive struggle of some sort.  (Yes, we did develop this saying when Andi was feeling sorry for herself. Ha.)   As a result, you see Darrell, above, painting the Learning Theory students' boxes gold. 

Behind every great artist is...someone with a can of gold spray paint.  (Blocks 21 and 22: The boxes look incredible in gold! Boo Yah!)

While Darrell was painting and shopping and packing and all that...Andi was snake fighting with Krystal at the final professional development day for our English Language Development STEAM camp.

 Such FIERCE snake faces!!

Then Darrell drove Andi to campus to lead another workshop.  This was a NASA workshop called Art and the Cosmic Connection. 

If my students can keep moving, why can't I?  You are my heroes, STEAM warriors!

While at this workshop, my friend since UCR grad school days and CSUF/NASA colleague Dr. V. Costa..and also NASA educator, Mara...provided us with encouragement and protection for the upcoming solar eclipse (8/21/17).

Inside scoop on viewing the eclipse:  The word is Caspar, Wyoming.    

What a wacky, wondrous Wednesday!

It's hard for Darrell and Andi to be apart from each other in Life 3.0, but when we take the risk, we have wonderful adventures. 

Here's to you and your adventures!  And also to Friday, which is only two days away.  :)

Murphy's Law and Air Conditioners

Brain cancer is...

...taking care of broken things.

Darrell, with an assist from Zach, got the air conditioner people out today to discover why the guestroom floor was bordered by a small lake.  The air conditioner pump reservoir was cracked.  Fixable!  Better yet:  It was still under warranty!

That's just one thing Darrell took care of today. He worked his usual magic as well helping me succeed at the next adventure:  Day 2 (of 3) of the professional development institute to prepare our Placentia English Language Development STEAM Camp teachers for this summer's extravaganza.

Ginger and Andi go to the grasslands and deserts of the world.

We felt grateful, too, for moments like this one with Zach:

The photo captures a single moment of an extended conversation about important things like graduate school and planets.  Summer came home and added so many interesting facts and speculations about Planets 9 and 10.

May there always be time for talking about the world(s)!

No Scanxiety!

Brain cancer is...

...not worried about an MRI scan for tomorrow.

You may recall that the conclusion on last month's scan was that the brain muck seemed stable and that neither Dr. Park nor Dr. Cloughesy felt that a four-week scan was necessary (click here for the post).   Were it necessary, that scan would take place tomorrow.

Darrell is reveling in a scanxiety-free Monday evening.  Instead, he's worrying about that "left Twix/right Twix" thing.  Are left and right Twix really different? 

We are so grateful that our worries are centered on chocolate tonight!  May your worries present no deeper concerns for you today as well.

Life at the Speed of Flight

Brain cancer is...

 ...so proud of Melanie!

Today Melanie and Gail hosted a barbecue to celebrate Melanie's success:  She is back in California after completing her Commissioned Officer Training in Alabama as a Captain in the United States Air Force. 

Melanie, you inspire us all with your approach to life, always tackling big challenges. 

Way to go, Sis!

Family on both sides (Munns and Dodge) were there to celebrate.  Sorry, party goers, that I didn't take many photos of the day.

The best sentiment of the day goes to my mom, LuAnn.  She told Melanie, "Your Grandmother would be so proud of you.  She was born in the era before flight, and here you are a Captain in the Air Force."

Talk about how quickly the world changes.  What a privilege to celebrate each other as we change along with it!

What's the Bravest Thing You've Done?

Brain cancer is...

 ...thinking about difficult things.

Thank goodness for Saturdays.  I'm working now, but we took the first part of the day off to see LuAnn then Gordon.  We talked about important things--like parenting--with LuAnn, and we talked about difficult things--like bravery--with Gordon. 

We had quite the conversation about our own lives and bravery, including this question, "What is the bravest thing you've done?"  It took us about 20 minutes to come up with some tentative answers, but we're still thinking.

How about you?  What's the bravest thing you've done?

Institute Completion!

Brain cancer is...

...back at the park.

I finished the Institute and we headed for the park, after a week hiatus.  Good news.  Life there continues as per usual.

With co-leader David Pagni, I had an amazing week at the institute, and I am honored to call the participants my colleagues.  Here they are:

They are practicing K-8 teachers from around the Southland who came together for the week to improve their (our!) mathematics knowledge and skill and our skills for teaching mathematics through problem solving. 

Here is a summary of what I told them when I said goodbye:

• The work of every single person in that room is critical.  Education is key to our democracy.
• Their work as math teachers is essential.  When our children learn mathematics, they gain knowledge that is powerful in our society and our world.  Mathematics is key to our students having choices in the future, and it's key to a wider range of contributions they can choose to make.
• Their work as individuals teachers is essential to the success of their students as humans.  How many of us can point to a teacher and say, "I am here because you believed in me"?

Thanks, Darrell, for making it possible for me to have this opportunity.

On to the next Life 3.0 adventure.

Happy Friday, Team D!

Hitting Our Stride

Brain cancer is...

...very busy!

When I texted Darrell during a spare moment at today's institute, he texted back, "Too busy to talk." Funny, funny Darrell.  It's taking some time, but we definitely feel like we are hitting a new stride with me working.  Apparently it involves a lot of sugar (above). 

Adjustments that are working for us are simple things like, after Darrell picks me up, we drive around in the cool (and, might I add, freshly washed) car and talk until we have both made it through our lists.  And I stop working at a set time so we can hold hands in front of an episode of Law and Order.

Today the family even carved out the time to have a tasty, conversation-filled dinner at California Pizza Kitchen.

Tonight we finish the day content.  We hope your day ended well too.


PS...Did I mention sugar?

Super Shopping Skills

Brain cancer is...

 ...never going to go thirsty! 

With me at the institute during the days this week, Darrell is sharpening some of his skills, namely his shopping skills.  Above you see that he took full advantage of Ralph's special sale on our favorite, LaCroix water.  Also here:

And here, with his favorite, Diet Dew.

Now you know where to go if you get thirsty during the hot days of summer.

Happy Summer Solstice, Everyone!

Fight on, Sisters. Fight On!

Brain cancer is...

...supporting the fight against breast cancer.

After the math institute today, Darrell accompanied me for my annual routine mammogram. Every direction we turn in our lives, we find breast cancer faced by the women we love.  It's probably the same for you.  Here's a shout out to all the women (and men) who have faced this disease.  We're in your corner!

And to my "sisters" who haven't yet had a recommended routine screening, Darrell would now like to pull the guilt card.  He would have given a lot for a screening that could have caught his cancerous tumor earlier. 

(Okay, okay, we know that doesn't even make sense.  But if it motivates anyone to get a routine cancer screening that's available, then the illogic is worth the price. Get your screenings, friends.)

Bonus Content

At 16 months post diagnosis and 501 blog posts, we are taking great pleasure in writing about things this year that we also wrote about last year.  Examples include Father's Day, Math Institutes, and mammograms.  Here's to "one more time!"  Until the next time!

Our Dogs Are Barking

Brain cancer is...

 

...needing a foot rest!

Despite its success, this weekend took a toll on our feet, what with the long Long Beach walking miles and the many hours spent in dress shoes.

Today didn't help.  Andi (with colleague D. Pagni) launched the annual week long summer institute of the California Math Project--Fullerton.  It was great to be back with some of the original Team D members from last summer's institute.  (You know who you are! Also, I missed the Institute members who couldn't make it this year.  Thanks for reading.  You're still on the team.)

Darrell kept up his usual high level of family care, including the packed lunch, complete with a note, and rides to and from the Institute.

The feet, they must rest.  We hope your feet are happy on this warm Monday.

Happy Father's Day!

Brain cancer is...

 ...enjoying [another] Father's Day!

Life doesn't get much sweeter.  Unless, that is...

...the owner gives you a celebratory bottle of wine for the cellar.

Happy day to all the fathers and the people who love them.

David and Mitra Get Married...By Andi

Brain cancer is..

...celebrating a very happy occasion.

David and Mitra have been our friends for years, beginning with Alex's and David's great friendship at Fullerton High. 

Today we had the pleasure to be a part of David's and Mitra's wedding celebrations. A big part. Zach, Summer, and Darrell were in the audience. Alex and Tiana were in the wedding party, and Andi officiated. What an honor! 

We'll post some photos tomorrow, but here's the slideshow.

Mitra and David Get Married by Andi Slideshow

Here's to new beginnings! And here's to scary but completely worth it adventures!

Long Beach

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying another beautiful California coastal city.

We are spending the weekend in Long Beach, a first for us.  Here's a view of the harbor.
 

We have a very pleasant king corner room that overlooks the city and the water out of three windows at three different angles.


Not a bad place to spend the evening on the computer!


Happy Friday!

Mixing Things up on a Thursday

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying great variety in activities.

The other day Summer lugged home the above piece of wood during her walk.  She saw a piece of art in the making.  Today Darrell gave her a lesson in using a circular saw to trim it down.  Now we have another power tool to love!

Meanwhile, Hallie, Andi, and Ruth enjoyed lattes and breakfast at Classic Rock Coffee.

Yes, the above photo was taken in a room with black lighting.  Classic rock indeed!

Additionally, I made a new friend.

This is Ruth.  She and I have chatted informally at the salon in the past once we discovered our common Wisconsonian roots and love for the Packers.  (Remember, Kristine?) Today we became official friends and discovered all those amazing connections that turn up on happy days.  Two fun facts: 

• Ruth's grandfather owned the building that now holds the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, which we visited last month.
• Ruth tap dances with a dance team through her association with CSUF's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).  

What fun!  Okay, back to work.

Happy Thursday!

Demanding Higher Wages

Brain cancer is...

...demanding better compensation.

This week the blocks and I launched the soon-to-be-fabulous Louise Nevelson Assemblage Sculpture Project. It explores aspects of our identities (including cultural identity) and those of the artist.  Darrell came in after class today to help with the project.

He happily carried our many cardboard scraps out to the recycling bins.  Next, he helped me to change the black bulletin backing to white.  As you see above, he was still happy at the beginning of the paper endeavor.

Then this happened:

I asked, "Darrell, did you measure?"  He replied, "You get what you pay for."  We laughed.

By the time we came up short three times in a row...

...I realized that I need to take his compensation demands very seriously.  He and I are currently in negotiations.  We expect to reach a mutually agreed upon wage package soon.

Still Balancing

Brain cancer is...

 ...very busy.

We wanted to confirm that all is well at the Guillaume home.  This new balance of ours is working pretty well.  You see us, above, walking at the park by 4:30 today.

Darrell is doing an admirable job of taking care of home things, such as fixing the agitator dogs in the washing machine (that's real; click here) and making his famous chili for dinner.

What I'm noting is that it's harder for me to keep up with our Team D contacts such as texts and emails. Please know that we are still thinking all our good thoughts for you, and maybe have faith that I'll eventually figure this out.

Every day continues to be a great day. 

Where Did Sunday Go?

Brain cancer is...

 ...getting back to work.

Sorry for missing a post yesterday.  We had a delicious meal with Alex and Tiana, who were in town briefly, and that was pretty much the day.

Today we are back to work, prepping for class and taking care of business.

We hope you have a magnificent Monday.

Cabo Szabo

Brain cancer is...

 ...enjoying an escape with Beth and Geoff.

One of our new important life hacks is to always have a vacation on the books. This is a 24-hour vacation to wine country with great friends and good food.

Oh. Did I say "a vacation"?  We have two more getaways booked for the next month.

Try this life hack and let us know what you think.

We Would Walk One Thousand Miles...

Brain cancer is...

...still walking.

The photo, above, shows a piece of sea glass that friend Donna picked up during a stroll on the beach as she was thinking of us.  She wanted us to remember how many people are walking with us.  What a treasure.

Here's an update on the efforts we have been contributing to the team's walking endeavors.

• On December 12 (approximately 6 months ago), Darrell replaced my lost Fit Bit.  In those 6 months, Darrell and I have walked 1.8 million steps.  That's 822 miles. 
• At 736 miles, we had walked the length of Italy.  
• In another 170 miles, we will have walked the length of New Zealand.
• In our post of March 19, we shared that we'd be walking with you, thinking all good thoughts for a different member of Team D each day.  We've been using the Charity Miles app to earn money for Stand Up to Cancer, reasoning that once we finished walking for Team D members whose lives have been touched by cancer, we'd switch to charities for the other important issues people face.  
• Three months after that decision, we are still walking to honor Team D members for whom cancer has been some part of life.  That's too much cancer.

We'll keep on walking.  And we'll keep thinking great thoughts for you and the issues you face.  Thanks for walking with us.

PS...Darrell wants you to know that he had to replace my Fit Bit again when I lost it recently on the streets of Chicago.

Bonus Content

How many miles is the walk from Fullerton to Maine?  Terri is enticing us there with great photos of sunsets, like yesterday's beauty.

Chewing Up the Months and Spitting Them Out

Brain cancer is...

[Still] Loving Every Day

...16 months old today.

The median overall survival (OS) rate for GBM patients who have standard of care treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation) is 16 months.  Today Darrell treated that statistic as if it were nothing but a tasty morsel! 

For GBM patients getting standard of care treatment plus Optune, the median overall survival increases by 4.8 months to 20.8.  However, you know our Big D.  

The other survival rate calculated is progression free survival (PFS). For standard of care patients in this linked study, median PFS was 4 months, meaning that four months was the average time for a recurrence. For Optune users, PFS increased to 6.7 months.  Therefore, because Darrell is progression free at 16 months, he is progression-free 11 months longer than the median patient using Optune. Whoo!  Whoo!

Darrell is next aiming his sights on 21 months, then: the median overall survival for Optune users.  Twenty one months:  Coming in hot!

Bonus Content

Darrell joined me on campus today to work his usual magic on things like my power strips.  We were greeted by such warmth and kindness by the people in my department that we felt very well loved [again].  Thanks, EDEL!

CSUF Poppies

CSUF Bee

"New Balance" isn't just a running shoe.

Brain cancer is...

 ...figuring out our new balance.

Even though we felt satisfied with how productive our day was yesterday, we reassessed our strategies for success now that I'm back to work.  We decided that we need, to the extent possible, to break up our days with family time and tasks interspersed among the work items.  It seems a self-evident truth, but it's new for us.  Today feels better balanced.  We'll keep working on it. 

And speaking of balance...Mousse is doing his share by helping out with the dishes.

Happy Hump Day, Loved Ones!

Kanga

Brain cancer is...

 ...having a slow news day. Hurrah.

Therefore we are resorting to Letterman's stupid pet tricks.  Mousse is enjoying having the run of the house now that Beowulf is gone. (Mousse was quarantined to promote calm healing.)  Above you see him performing the trick I taught him.  We call it Kanga.  Masterful!

Darrell is doing an awesome job of working on the house and yard while I work at the computer.  His work is even better than Kanga.

Our best to you today.

Parents are Kool!

Brain cancer is...

 ...supported by a fierce set of 'elders.'

Lately, as in this post of two months ago, we have appreciated our grown kids being kool.  However, we recently have been deprived of the privilege of the presence of our parents by things like travel and school schedules.  Today we remedied that situation.

Above you see Gordon sporting my Fullerton walking visor...because he could.  Some of his first words to Darrell were, "Fight on, Darrell, fight on."  He will, Dad, he will. 

Next we saw my mom after a full month of conflicting travel schedules (cool, right?). Some of her first words, over Mexican food, were similarly, "Cheers to your great report, Darrell!"

I hope that Darrell and I have been to our children what our parents continue to be to us:  fiercely loyal, utterly biased in their support, and ever convinced in our worthiness of the best that love has to offer.

Parents are Kool.