Beaver Defense Wins over Immune Defense in This Round

It is time for another update on the status of the Opa in the title role.  We had another scan on the 16th of May and eagerly awaited results at the oncologist visit on Wednesday last.  The bottom line is that the bad news isn't necessarily bad and could, in the end, be good news.  There are a few spots of cancer that have flared up and become visible on the scans.  This seems to be as frequent an occurrence with this treatment as the extreme reduction in tumor is for another group of patients.  We have opted to do the second cycle before abandoning the hope we have invested in this treatment.

We have in the meantime passed the one year mark since the diagnosis in April 2013.  Given the initial prognosis this was cause for celebration though on a small scale.  No drinks and no gourmet meals since appetite reduction is one of the side effects of the immunotherapy protocol.

Early this month we had another visit from Tammo and Aafke.  Tammo assisted with eating the home baked cookies to energize the beaver defense system expansion.  We were alerted to increased beaver activity in the recent past and it was time to protect all of the remaining trees and shrubs from the lake inhabitants.

Team Alpha at DEFCON 1

While Tammo and Aafke were visiting they celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary.  They treated us to a wonderful dinner which allowed us to check off one more restaurant, Veritable Quandary, from our bucket list.

This time it was a very short visit but we hope they will return soon to complete further projects in our little paradise.

A week later, the day I had oral surgery, Jacqueline arrived with Julia for a long weekend.  This was a stroke of luck because the oral surgery caused more swelling than expected and along with that more pain than I could deal with easily.  I took to my bed with pain medications and Jacqueline took over the cooking and driving until I dropped them at the airport on Sunday.  This allowed me to recover in great comfort though I missed a good visit with Julia.  She had a sleepover at Sara's home so the cousins and sisters could catch up once again.

                               

We are beginning to have summer days interspersed with cooler rainy ones to keep the environs lush and green.  The lake is already beginning to warm up and some of the residents have been swimming and boating though we have not yet tested the waters.   

Soon our European visitors will begin arriving and the grandchildren will be finishing the school year once again.  We are looking forward to a warm and sociable summer as we continue to enjoy our little patch of paradise.