Cancer Sure Takes A Lot Of Time: Thank You For The Therapy!

Dear Friends,

Yesterday I went up to the Center for Health and Healing at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon for my every three week check-up and my six week CT Scan. I was accompanied by my friend Matt Boring, Corvallis High School Principal. Matt was JJ and Hannah's Principal for their Senior Year at CHS, and serves as Sami Keim Arnst's and my boss as Softball Coaches at CHS. He also is Christa Keim Schmeder's supervisor in her role as a teacher at the school. We have become good friends and he wanted to support me by taking me up for the visit. He has also been, in harmony with Athletic Director Bob Holt, the driving force behind the catch up we have done in reaching Title IX equity with the softball field improvements at the school.

The day started with a trip up the tram to OHSU's campus on the hill and an ultra sound of my heart. Then down the mountain to an appointment with Dr. Matt Taylor, my oncologist on the 7th floor. We moved quickly to the Casey Eye Clinic on the 11th floor for an eye exam (one of the potential side effects of the investigational drugs impacts the eyes) and then to the 3rd floor for  a CT scan and blood draw. The eventful day at OHSU concluded on the 12th floor at the Research Pharmacy to pick up the drugs. A quick stop at Gustav's Bargarten in Salem for late lunch brought the greater part of 10 hours to a close. Thanks to Matt for driving us home as even with sunglasses on, my dilated eyes made the overcast Oregon Fall afternoon look like a Southern California Summer beach day.

We do this every three weeks, with the CT Scan every six weeks and Echo Cardiograms replacing it on the off treatment day. They are doing all they can to keep me alive and well and I am thankful. Dr. Matthew Taylor said, "You look well. You don't look like someone who has cancer." Matt Boring and I talked about the impact of cancer on our high school on our drive as we have lost a beloved soccer coach recently to brain cancer and have a band instructor and her husband both fighting the disease along with me. That's four people, their families, friends, and co-workers at one high school in a small town. Makes you stop and think.

My results were mostly good with all but one tumor shrinking or staying the same. The one tumor that is growing slowly is near my intestines again and Dr. Taylor thinks it could create the same bleeding problem I had before. So next Tuesday November 3rd I will meet with Dr. John Vetto at OHSU. He is a surgical oncologist as one of the three options I talked about with Dr. Taylor is surgical removal of the tumor. There are other drug therapy options available, and a newly approved drug combination, but the surgery might be the best. I was sitting with Traci Klink Garets, our dear friend who herself is battling breast cancer with radiation, and Donna when I got the news from Dr. Taylor. GOD...is was good not to be alone. Every time I am riding with a buddy like Matt Boring or sitting next to my amazing wife and a 30 year friend, my heart aches for anyone who is facing cancer alone. And more so for the children whose lives really haven't gotten started yet. This morning I was talking with Mark Hartley to whom I spoke to as a Freshman at the University of Redlands in 1986 and with whom I have been friends with since that night and I ask him to pray for me. He said, "God, please be with Will..." That is, he went to prayer immediately and taught me something. Why wait?
He finished his prayer and then we said goodbye. I felt better. This afternoon, the event known as Addie, my Granddaughter, will come over after pre-school and my mind will shift from thinking about cancer to trying to create memories for her and see the world through her amazed filled eyes. Last week I found an apple at Market of Choice with red flesh and Addie leapt with joy when I cut her a piece of it to eat and she saw the color. It reminded me of taking Hannah to Char Burgess's house in Redlands years ago during a visit to speak for her as the Dean of Students when Char and her husband Larry cut a blood orange open and made Hannah a glass of red orange juice. She sat in wonder! Talks about it to this day.

Cancer sure takes a lot of time. Thank God. I want it to take a lot of time. I want to live a lot of time.
Every third Sunday night I think about all the time I will spend the next day and about the person's time, in this case Matt Boring, that my visit to OHSU will take. Then I get over that quickly because one day I know I won't be going up there anymore and I want that day to be as far off in the future as I can imagine. I want to live each day I get as if it were a red fleshed apple or a blood orange glass of juice. I want to rekindle my sense of amazement at every breath and every moment I am blessed to receive. Thich Nhat Hanh calls it Mindfulness. Buddha talked about Active Inactivity. Being present in the moment is the message. And frankly, I am left with this...

Typing this message to you and your reading of it is really my therapy. I can vent, cry, share, commiserate, and reveal here and know that somewhere someone cares. In that way, I am blessed beyond all measure. When you get not so good news as a cancer patient it feels so very alone. Then, because of you, because of friends like Matt, Traci, and Mark, because of Donna and my children and their husbands, and especially Addie with an assist from Harvey, I am lifted out of my self absorption and my moment of fear and panic into the circle of life. Into hope, faith, and love. Cancer sure takes a lot of time and I get through it because of you and the 'therapy of care' you provide for me. So, thanks again for being there. I will post again after my visit with Dr. Vetto next Tuesday because I not only want you in the loop...I desperately need you in the loop. Get yourselves screened sometime soon, and call, text, or email someone you haven't talked to in awhile and let them know you were thinking of them.

Blessings,

Will