Cycle 5 - Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve

After the fourth cycle of chemo, my oncologist wanted another CT scan of my chest to determine how to proceed with my remaining chemo treatment. The results were the following:

"Mild decrease in size of a right lower lobe nodule. Remaining nodules are unchanged. No new nodules."

Since the effect of the chemo towards the nodules weren't as significant as the earlier cycles, my oncologist decided that it'd be better to undergo five cycles of chemo instead of the six as initially planned.

Not finishing all my chemo treatments has happened before, and I have mixed emotions when treatments are cut short. Part of me is excited that I finish early, however, there's another part of me that wants to give it everything I've got so that the cancer never comes back. I always want to be strong and push my body to the limit, but sometimes I know that it can come at a very high price.

Cancer treatment is a balancing act. It's extremely complex having to consider the stage of the cancer, the risk and benefits of each treatment, and maintaining the person's quality of life. I really respect all of my doctors for the tremendous amount of time and energy they put into trying to plan the best course of treatment for me.

I'd especially like to thank all of the extraordinary nurses at Stanford Hospital F-Ground for taking such wonderful around-the-clock care of me during my chemo cycles. In addition to being at the front lines of care, nurses advocate for their patients, so be grateful, and always treat them well.

Battling cancer isn't a sprint; it's a long journey full of high peaks and low valleys. Sometimes the only way to get out of a valley is to have help climbing out from your family, friends, and Andrew. Thank you for helping me climb out of the valleys to reach the rim.

Abrams Falls, Cades Cove Valley. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN. 2010. 

Cycle 5

I think my Mom was more excited to be finished than me. 

My very last treatment of chemo. Hip hip hooray!

Thank you Stanford F-Ground nurses for all that you do. 

Lands End, San Francisco CA

Celebrating with a trip to one of my favorite places 

in the City, and a visit from Paul and Jamie. 

Union Square, San Francisco CA

Enjoying the beautiful day shopping with Mai. 

Old Navy had a $1 Flip-Flop Sale!

Modernism from the National Gallery of Art: The Robert & Jane Meyerhoff Collection

de Young Museum, San Francisco CA

The exhibit featured modern and contemporary art from the 

end of World War II through the end of the century. 

Mark Rothko, Untitled, 1969, Acrylic on canvas. 

Rothko wanted to create a physical relationship with the 

viewer in hope of inspiring a spiritual experience. 

James Rosenquist, Spectator- Speed of Light, 2001, Oil on linen. 

Frank Stella, Chodorow II, 1971, Felt, paper, and canvas collage on canvas. 

This work is named after 17th and 18th centuries Polish synagogues 

destroyed by Hitler's forces during WWII. 

We ended the day with a visit to the Observation Deck to enjoy the gorgeous 

view of San Francisco, the Pacific Ocean, Marin headlands, and Golden Gate Park. 

Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve, Berkeley CA.

Round Top, one of the area's highest peaks (elevation 1763 ft. above sea level), 

is made up of lava and volcanic debris left over from a 10-million-year-old volcano.

Layers of intense red are found at the top and bottoms of lava flows, 

where iron was oxidized and reddened by baking and steam action. 

Annie and Andrew made it to the center of the stone labyrinth!

This reminded me of the end of Gladiator, where Maximus

 (Russell Crowe) walks through the Elysium fields.