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. 

Cycle 4 - Bay to Breakers, San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden

A few days before I began Cycle 4, it was Anh's Master's graduation. Most of my relatives from around the country flew into Florida to celebrate this milestone with her. I wanted to be there too, but with the state of my health, I had to critically examine every best and worst case scenario, and the probability of each scenario occurring. After much thought, I decided that the risk was too high, and that it would be best if I stayed behind. As much as I wanted to be there to support my sister during this joyous occasion, ironically, she was the one that flew home and supported me through Cycle 4.

I love Anh's blinged out graduation cap.

Congratulations to the University of Florida 

2014 Aerospace Engineering Master's Graduates!

Anh's Master's graduation had me thinking of my own Master's graduation, or lack thereof. I left Drexel University a few months before my graduation ceremony, and I believed that once I was finished with treatment for my cancer, I would make it back in time. Little did I know how serious my situation was, and that once I left Philadelphia, I wouldn't be able to come back. To this day, I still haven't returned. Eventually I'll make a trip back to the East Coast.

The City of Brotherly Love. 

Sometimes I'm a little bit envious of how easier life seems for other people. They don't have the constant fear of cancer recurrence or dying young, but I know everyone has their own struggles and suffering, and that the grass isn't necessarily greener on the other side. I suppose envy is just a normal part of human nature. At least that's what I say to myself.

Despite all that that has happened, I feel extremely blessed to have such amazing friends, a loving
family, and a patient boyfriend. Overall, I'd say I'm pretty happy with my life today.

Cycle 4

The Three Stooges are now complete. 

We had lots of quality nap time together. 

No hospital food for me today. 

My taste buds aren't sure what to make of it. 

 

Thank you Amy and Francie for the thoughtful gifts.

You guys are awesome!

artMRKT San Francisco [Contemporary & Modern Art Fair]

artMRKT features highly reputable galleries from around the globe, 

bringing scores of unique artists and art exhibitors to San Francisco. 

Forum Gallery, New York

Brian Rutenberg, Reverie 2, 2012, Oil on linen, 50 x 72 inches

Bay to Breakers, San Francisco CA

Bay to Breakers has been quintessential to San Francisco since May 1912. 

It's the oldest consecutively run annual footrace in the world.

There were nearly 40,000 participants in the 12K race that ran west 

through the city and finished at the Pacific Coast's Ocean Beach. 

Runners dressed up in their boldest, brightest, and wildest costumes. 

D'oh!

Conservatory of Flowers: CHOMP! They came from the Swamp, San Franicsco CA

The Special Exhibits Gallery was transformed into a 

swampy paradise for hundreds of carnivorous plants. 

Carnivorous plants once filled the wetlands of North America, 

but only 5% remain due to the destruction of these wetlands. 

We got a bug's eye view of the Sarracenia psittacina and 

learned how they adapted to attract, capture, and eat prey. 

The future's so bright with Natasha and Amy!

Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco CA

The San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest Japanese garden in the United States. 

In 1894, it was created as a "Japanese Village" exhibit for 

the California Midwinter International Exposition. When the fair 

closed, it was given to Japanese landscape architect Makoto Hagiwara. 

The garden features classic elements such as an arched drum bridge, 

pagodas, stone lanterns, koi ponds, and a zen garden. The Cherry 

Blossom trees bloom throughout during March and April. 

Cycle 3 - Point Reyes NS

Synovial sarcoma is a rare and aggressive type of cancer. The primary treatment is surgery to remove the entire tumor. Few people are completely cured by chemotherapy, and this treatment is normally recommended in advanced or metastatic disease, such as myself. 

Because of my many courses of chemotherapy, there was a high possibility of developing chemotherapy resistance. This occurs when cancer cells no longer responds to treatment, and begin to grow. Oftentimes, if the cancer becomes resistant to one drug or group of drugs, it's more likely that it'll be resistant to other drugs. Resistance to chemotherapy is a nearly universal, ultimately lethal consequence for patients with metastasized disease.

As of now, I had undergone two cycles of chemotherapy, not knowing its effect on the cancer. This fear of the unknown was paralyzing. It didn't help either finding out that my oncologist has not had any patients that have been "cured" from Synovial Sarcoma. Perhaps I should have followed the advice, "Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to."

In any case, I'm pretty stubborn and didn't follow the advice. I continued with asking the hardest question, "Is the chemotherpy drug working?" I had a CT scan, and the impressions from the Radiologist were the following:

"Interval decrease in size of several pulmonary nodules, consistent with treatment response. Other small nodules are stable. No new nodules." 

THE CHEMOTHERAPY DRUG WAS WORKING. I do have a chance of beating this!

Cycle 3

Passover Seder Day 1

Agriculturally, Passover represented the beginning of the harvest season in Israel. However, 

the historical focus shifted the emphasis of this holiday to the Jewish exodus from Egypt. 

The Haggadah contains all the rituals, prayers, and songs used in the Passover Seder. 

Passover Seder Day 2

The Seder Plate is used to tell the story of Passover. It includes karpas (parsley), 

charoset (chopped apples and nuts), maror (bitter herb), chazeret (romaine lettuce), 

ze'roa (roasted shank bone), beitzah (roasted egg), and salt water bowl. 

Shmurah Matzot represents the "bread of faith" and "the bread of healing". 

I should eat this more often!

Mom parting the white pages.  

Happy Passover!

Crissy Fields, San Francisco CA

In 1919, the U.S. Army established the first air coast defense station on 

the West Coast. The airfield is named for Major Dana Crissy, who died 

during the First Transcontinental Reliability and Endurance Test.  

Today, Crissy Fields is the park's "front door" with trails, wetlands, 

and picnic areas. It's the most visted area of the Presidio. 

Restoration of the marsh and wetland welcomed dozen of bird 

species migrating along the Pacific Flyway. These include great 

egret, great blue heron, caspian tern, and brown pelican. 

SFMOMA partnered with the National Park Service to display an outdoor 

exhibition of eight large sculptures by artist Mark di Suvero for a free yearlong event. 

The clusters of painted i-beams span up to 50-ft high and 40-ft wide!

Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County CA

On January 6, 1603 Spanish explorer Don Sebastian Vizcaino gave Point Reyes its name 

La Punta de Los Tres Reyes because it was the day of the Feast of the Three Kings. 

Point Reyes Lighthouse

In December 1, 1870 the lighthouse began operation at a total cost of 

$100,000, well over the initial $16,000 allocated. It was decommissioned 

in 1975 when the U.S. Coast Guard installed an automated beacon. 

The 6,0000-pound first-order Fresnel lens is divided into 24 vertical 

panels. It sits on a clockwork mechanism that rotates the lens using 

gears and a counterweight. One complete rotation takes two minutes. 

Descending the 300 steps to the lighthouse was easy. 

Going back up was the hard part. 

Time to catch my breath. 

Chimney Rock

Point Reyes is the windiest and foggiest point on the Pacific Coast. 

Springtime wind speeds can reach hurricane force, and winds exceeding 

130 mph (210 kph) have been measured at the headlands. 

Northern elephant seals basking on the rocky shelves below. 

Black-tailed deer graze peacefully on the steep hillsides. 

Point Reyes is the perfect destination for nature lovers!