Discovering the Library

Today Dennis began his day with cognitive tests that including recalling or remembering, mapping or spatial tests and word tests. Then we heard that the actual radiation and chemotherapy would start on Monday, so we took the late afternoon off, walked to a fabric store at Pike Market, bought vegetables and sweet peas and had ice cream. It was so crowded and smelly that we didn't buy seafood, it just didn't look appealing. We took off uphill...
The sun was beginning to heat up the afternoon. Seeking the shady side of the street, we walked back to Spring Street and decided to explore Seattle's Central Library.
Wow! Cool and quiet, this enormous 11 tiered glass layered library is very dramatic rising out of the concrete of downtown. Inside it is swarming with hundreds of people reading, working on the internet, doing research, having coffee at the cafe-it is like a miniature town in a city. The librarians we met were so nice and friendly, and invited us to join on a three month basis-and since Dennis was here for medical reasons, his fee was waived! So we explored all the way to the top floor, which gave me vertigo a little. You could see all the way out to the harbor and towards the stadiums. There was a history archive, and a special collections area-and on the top floor were administrative offices. We were excited to learn there are tours coming up, and one just on the architecture. Dennis has already made plans to return. The next two days are more meetings and probably more tests, the arrival of family and friends looms near on the horizon. Until tomorrow, when it is supposed to be 80 degrees, Faith and Dennis

Dennis accepted into Clinical Trial!

Today was a day of meetings and more tests, including an EKG (which Dennis passed with flying colors) and lots of lab tests. These were in preparation for the standard treatment of radiation and chemotherapy, hopefully to begin soon. Dennis has also offered to do cognitive tests, which begin tomorrow.
The Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) primary brain tumor removed on June15th was deemed acceptable by the clinical study researchers today! This means Dennis will be part of the clinical trial to test the application of an infused drug commonly called avastin along with standard treatement against the cancer cells remaining in his brain. It is a double blind study, and we will not know whether he is in the avastin arm or the placebo arm. However, he is one step closer, and is looking forward to getting started.
We walked about 2.5 miles round trip today. I lagged on the hills, but Dennis has a stronger heart and legs and zoomed up the hills. Thank goodness the weather was cool and foggy. It appears to be warming up, with some blue sky peeking out this evening. Talk to you tomorrow, Faith and Dennis

Stormy Sunday

The rainclouds were brewing last night as the red to orange sunset came over Camano Island. It was very quiet and peaceful. When we departed today for all points south we were rested and delightfully satiated from a tremendous breakfast created by our hostess Melissa. She even holds a cooking school in her home when not a B&B. We stuffed our now frozen raspberries in a cooler with blue ice and headed back to the mainland. We loaded the car with groceries (who wants to try and park in the city??) and headed for points south, including Issaquah near Lake Sammamish. It rained while we were inside the store and when we walked back out to the car it really felt like home-cool, foggy, and about 60 degrees.
We hear from our Alaskan friends, however, that has been really warm and dry on our island, and there have been some wildfire starts. Some areas are getting smoke from wildfires from the Interior.
Our dog Kona and the cats have been doing fine under the watchful eye of our pet parent Ardath; Kona even panted on the phone to me. So far Kona's pancreatitis has not returned, and she seems comfortable. Thank goodness...
Escaping the city for an island was a great idea, we might try to do that again if Dennis is feeling well enough. As we walked back to our little apartment from the rental car place in downtown, we passed tons of convention goers leaving the convention center (These were veterinarians). We got excited about conventions there-what is there was a gem and mineral show in town? A hunting dog show? An outdoor expo? We fantasized about the opportunities...unfortunately, there was nothing in July and August except advanced issues of foreclosures, critical financial mistakes during divorces, and federal aquisition regulation "BOOTCAMP". Oh boy, that convention calendar sounds like a total snoozer.
The seagulls were "laughing" at us as we climbed the last hill to our place. We are both tired but in a good way and Dennis is ready to face what the week will bring. Hope to have news tomorrow, Faith and Dennis

Camano Island Escape

Today we escaped the city by walking down to a car rental in town and getting a little car. It was an exciting and wonderful day. Heading north from the city we decided to take a backcountry detour. This led us to a wonderful lane with fresh red raspberries along it. Dennis pulled over and we picked about a gallon while visiting on the phone with friends. It was wonderful, and yummy! Dennis even found some salmonberries. Then it was on along the correct road to the town of LaConner, except that we stopped at SnowGoose produce stand and bought groceries and the largest homemade cones with coffee ice cream around. Ladden with goodies for the larder we explored the countryside and ended up at the Camano Blossom B&B on Camano Island. The island is just north of Whidbey Island, has two state parks and about 25,000 people living here -the place is so different than the San Juans and is veritably all residential. But with a peaceful view of Mt Baker from the front porch, a peaceful garden and lovely birdsong it was great respite from downtown Seattle. Talk to you tomorrow, Faith and Dennis

Ready for the Weekend

The weather is warming up here, and so is the progress towards treatment beginning. Today we learned that the chemotherapy temodar was requested through the health insurance. We still have not heard if Dennis is part of the clinical trial. We desperately hope we'll hear Monday.

In an effort to walk "out" the leg tiredness that affects Dennis after taking steroids we walked to the local thrift store and bought stainless steel cookpots, a really nice pyrex bowl (jello here we come) and a brand new waffle iron! Woohoo! It seems to help to walk, and it's good exercise.

The 24 hour campfire was finally back up and Dennis connected back in to catch up with all of his buddies. I am slowly sending thank you notes out-very slowly....

Yesterday I told you about the mask created just for Dennis to keep his head immobile during the radiation treatments. The lady that created the mask was an expert. With "Get over it"from the Eagles blaring in the CT chamber, she soaked a netlike piece of white plastic in hot water, it turned clear, then she fitted it over the newly shorn Dennis face. Then she marked it with key laser drawn points and took lots of CT scan pictures. I sat outside the chamber of course, but it was wild watching the red "on"light outside the chamber and hearing the Eagles singing over it. Phew, this going to be a wild ride.

Speaking of wild rides, we are escaping the city noise and finding a quiet island to overnight on Saturday. I think it will be good for our souls and our psyche. The weather is supposed to be in the low 70s. We'll be back in touch Sunday, Faith and Dennis

The Mask

Today was quite a day, and it included (ta-dah) another haircut! Dennis is now very completely shorn, in part to accomodate the production of a radiation mask. Rather than protection, the mask is for stabilization when he has his radiation treatments.

After the first mask was not a good fit we walked down the hill and Lan did wonders to remove that bulky beard. He's lookin good!

It is possible Dennis will hear about being in the clinical study by tomorrow. That will be a relief. Dennis is ready to begin, and he is determined to fight as hard as he can.

Several friends came for a visit, and this was particularly nice. The sun came out at the end of the day and we felt like we'd accomplished lots. Best, Faith and Dennis

Waiting Wednesday

Today is a cloudy and cool; it is 'waiting Wednesday'. Dennis's simulation appointment is tomorrow. We both worked at our respective job projects today, burning up the internet and the phone lines. We made some improvements to our telecommunications, so we can walk and talk. Stands with Phone returns...It helps to have your hands free if you are working on the computer at the same time.
We are slowly writing cards to everyone who was so kind to us these first three weeks. If you do not receive one it is probably because I am falling down on the job and forgot to bring your address! Believe us when we say we appreciate each little tidbit of help and prayer.

I think we are both getting our hill muscles in our legs, walking downtown and then back up hill to our apartment. While we thought it looked like rain it never did. Dennis decided to cook tonight, and ended up feeding me muledeer buck steaks from Montana (This meal gives new meaning to the Rachel Ray words of Yum-O). We talked about me going to visit the area around Fort Benton this fall if we can manage it. We heard that we'll have two friends visiting tomorrow, it promises to be quite a day. Talk with you soon, Faith and Dennis