When "No Evidence" Is a Very Good Thing!

Reader's alert:  This is a long and technical post. The bottom line is that the scan looks good on initial report.  Boom.

Brain cancer is...

 ...presenting "no evidence." 

Darrell was a champ for today's scan.  It went smoothly, and we were out of the Cancer Center with MRI discs in hand by 9:15 a.m.

The radiologist's report (above) was released this afternoon.  The initial news is great!

Here's a primer on reading Darrell's GBM MRI reports, in case people would like a refresher.

1. After Darrell's scan, a radiologist on staff reads the images and compares them with past images.
2. The radiologist writes a report, which gets posted to Darrell's internal records, and then Dr. Park (his oncologist) releases the report to the patient portal where Darrell can see it.
3. The report has two parts:  comments and impression.  Comments are like "findings," and the impression (above) is like "conclusions" that the radiologist draws from the findings.
4. GBM currently has no cure, and there is no way to confirm its presence or absence other than taking brain samples--which for obvious reasons only happens when necessitated by likely cancer growth.  The best that physicians can do is to take and study brain images and make best guesses about the likelihood that the cancer is recurring or growing.  Radiologists need to admit the possibility that the cancer could be tiny, or that they might misinterpret what they see in the images. Thus, the best news to receive in a GBM scan is that there is "no evidence" of growth. Doctors  can't say that the cancer is gone, only that they can find no visual evidence of its current existence. 
5. That's the great news we got today in the initial report.  Specifically, from above:  
1. #1 means that the radiologist could today see (as all past scans have shown) that Darrell's brain was changed by the 2016 surgery. 
2.  #2 means that the radiologist couldn't see any clear evidence that there is tumor left or that any tumor is growing.  
3. #3 means that the radiologist could also not see that any other funky, disagreeable thing (such as tissue death, bleeding, or swelling) is occurring in Darrell's brain.

Today's scan results are an example of when "no evidence" is a very good thing indeed!

Here! Here!  Darrell is so relieved.  At dinner, he reflected that these results make him appreciate anew both what we have gone through (really, what he has gone through) and all we have today.

Here are some moments he appreciated today:

Entering "Permanent Invisibility World" (We finally used up all the white arrays.)

Celebratory Tuna Sandwich

Yet Another Opportunity to Walk this Beautiful Earth

Today's initial report of Darrell's clear scan is, very sadly, contrasted with the news that a dear friend and colleague recently died after a private battle with cancer. Our friend was diagnosed after Darrell and left this earth before us. What a horrible loss for our world.

(On the day we lit candles for newly diagnosed loved ones in 2016, we lit a candle for this friend; here's a link to the candle lighting post.)  

Team D., please let it never take a clear brain cancer scan for me to appreciate our world and every single wonderful person and thing in it.

Darrell Guillaume, Shoe Hoarder

Brain cancer is...

 ...finding fun new habits.

I am not certain, but I'm pretty sure that if my partner's sentence begins with the words, "I'm not a shoe hoarder, but..." I am dealing with a shoe hoarder.

Above you see that Darrell has several pairs of viable shoes, including three newish pairs that are great for long mileage.

Long-time shoe lovers call it "collecting" not "hoarding," Big D. Welcome to the club.

Cancer  Course Update

Darrell's MRI scan is scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning.  I'm proud of how calm and good spirited he's been all day, despite some nerves.  Thanks for your good thoughts.

Three Points Constitute a Line?

Brain cancer is...

...home after a visit with the Guillaumes.

We know, we know: Two points constitute a line.  Darrell says that's what makes this post's title clever.

On the line between Palm Springs and Fullerton lay...Alex, Tiana and Nova.  Hurrah!  It was great to see them.

PS:  Check out the buns that both women were styling, Nova's on her headband, Tiana's on her head. Way to rock the buns you two!

Curt’s Find: Palm Canyon to Stone Pools

Brain cancer is...

...enjoying Palm Springs with Curt and Barb.

As we planned a couples trip with the Welshons, Curt found a great hike in Palm Springs.  It’s Palm Canyon to Stone Pools (click here if you’d like the info).

Unlike yesterday’s hike, it was an out-and-back (not a loop), and it ended at a reasonable six miles.  It took us to a Palm Oasis with a stream and to cactus-dotted ridges in front of snow-covered peaks.  Gorgeous!

The fun continued with us lounging at the fire pit and enjoying dinner at a local favorite.

Click here if you’d like a slideshow of some of the day’s views.

We hope your Saturday was great too!

Misled by the Word "Loop"

Brain cancer is...

 ...definitely done hiking for the day.

After our first breakfast of the year with Gordon (above; we'll let him explain the beverage shenanigans), we headed for the nearby Bonelli Park Trail.  Even though Darrell and I both swam in the lake as kids, we had never hiked the park. 

The sources we read in preparation (like this one) said that the loop was 6.3 miles.  Perfect for a pre-lunch hike!

A few miles in, those 6.3 miles became 9.4 miles on the trail-side map. 

 Given the lack of markers on the trail, those 9.4 miles became:

• 11.3 miles
• 66 flights
• 4 hours

Confused by the two contrasting uses of the word "loop," we studied the maps again at home and decided to stick closer to the lake next time...next time faaarrr into our time travel future...when we try the "loop" again.

The good news?  We saw Southern California at its best.  Here are some pics, in order:

The first roadrunner we've ever seen in California.  (Yes, later we did see a coyote too.)

Lakeside, before one loop became something much larger.

Still hugging that lake.

And now we begin the bigger loop.  Check out the views!

All's well that ends well.  We made it to Islands for a burger and fries before 5:00 p.m.

Regarding the Word of the Year, we learned a lesson:  Be careful what you wish for.

Happy Friday, Team D!

Explorations? So far so good!

Brain cancer is...

 ...successfully exploring on this, the second day of 2020.

After we accompanied LuAnn to an appointment in Pasadena, she treated us to lunch at the place of our choosing.

Our Word of the Year (explore) led as away from a longstanding favorite (the Parkway Grill) and toward a spot new for us (Gale's, above).   We enjoyed the food, sure, but the company?  As per usual:  Stellar.

The day ended with a fiery sunset to welcome time traveler Greg Johnson to his eighth decade on earth.  Congratulations on the 1.603 million miles you traveled in space* on the first day of your new decade, Greg!







*The earth travels 93.2 million miles around the sun each year.  That's 1.603 million miles per day, according to this site.  No wonder we travelers feel tired at the end of each day, right Team D?

Word of the Year 2020

Brain cancer is...

 ...excited to greet the new decade with our Word of the Year.

As we have done since 2014, we have chosen a Word of the Year for New Years.  Our word gives us a sense of direction for how we will choose to live life in the coming year.

For 2020, we need a word that implies purpose, presence, and wonder.  We need a word that keeps us connected with people and their stories, a word that captures our fervent intention of continuing to live life greedily.  Our Word of the Year for 2020 is Explore.  Here's how:

• Our time territory is uncharted. GBM has 15-month median survival rate.  Living and thriving together with Darrell's "terminal" disease for 46 months is a fiercely wonderful thing.  It's also a strikingly odd thing.  We have no idea what we're doing.  We're just going to keep exploring this strange and wonderful territory.
• We hunger for new places and adventures.  2019 took us to amazing places like Palm Springs (weird that it's new for us, right?), the British Isles (of which there are more than 6,000--news to us!), Grand Cayman, Lake Geneva, and Scottsdale.  This year we are eager for additional adventures, far and near.
• We are exploring new roles and changing relationships. Two words:  Nova Brielle.  Enough said?  
• We are exploring inner journeys too.  We feel more self aware post diagnosis.  Post-traumatic growth (addressed in this 2017 post) gives a clearer sense of one's strengths and limitations. We hope the word explore can help us to honestly assess the personal limitations that continue to surface for us and then help us to learn from our failings as we grow as humans.  We strive to be better people.

Recently Darrell's family had a conversation about time travel.  Most of us mused about whether we'd go back in time or forward, and for what purpose.  Darrell's contribution was characteristically Darrell.  He said, "We all are time travelers.  We just go in one direction and one speed."  His thought really stuck with me.  What a great way to live life:  As time travelers.

Team D., thanks for exploring with us as we go hurtling through time.  Let's be sure to look around as we go.  Here's to 2020 and its explorations.

A Farewell:  Thanks, Perspective.

Just a year ago (in this post) we introduced you to the world and to our lives.  Thanks, Word of the Year, 2019, for what you brought to us.  Sure, another framed piece has taken your place on the entry table, but you are not forgotten.  We realize this year that the only way to gain new perspectives is to explore. 

See? You have become part of us, as have your predecessors like lean, open, and story.  Your work here is done.  Many thanks!