Challenge: Accepted!

 Life is...

...writing the data.

Hi Again,

Yes...so soon! We love it when life comes together, so we needed to share three happy, intertwined stories.  We hope all your challenges are also acceptable,

A and D

1.  Life Challenge:  Accepted!

Yesterday we saw Dr. Park to end this summer's Cancer Course.  All good news from Dr. Park, who confirmed the clear scan and concurred that, barring any change, the course of action for Darrell is routine imaging (MRI scans) every four months.  That's it.  For the rest of his life. May it be so.

Dr. Park also discussed the state of knowledge and treatment for GBM, around the nation and locally.  Locally, St. Jude is becoming much more of a center for GBM and other cancers of the central nervous system.  Globally, statistics for GBM haven't budged much for the last couple decades.  Dr. Park called GBM an "orphan disease," that is, a disease that is considered rare. Fewer than 200,000 cases per year constitutes a rare disease; about 13,000 people in the US get GBM annually. Orphan diseases receive less attention (funding and research) because of their low incidence.  So there's that.

I told Dr. Park that I don't find much research on longer term survival (by that I mean longer than Darrell's 5 1/2 years).  Dr. Park said it's because there are too few people for researchers to study and write about.  We loved his quote:  "You're writing the data, Darrell."  Data writing?  Challenge accepted!

After hearing this story, you can see why Darrell is smiling in the picture, above.  He's happy with the visit and enjoying another birthday month cupcake.  (They survive the freezer well, by the way.)  

Full disclosure:  Darrell was not smiling for the whole.  He started in the waiting room with an actual frown:

By the exam room, the frown improved to "neutral face":

2.  Stair Challenge:  Accepted!

One factor that made my return to campus to teach in person challenging is the fact that I teach all over campus.  If you're not sure why this is a problem, remember that I typically carry so much stuff that I schlep--or pay Darrell to schlep--my red wagon to my classroom, where I set up shop for the semester. (Here's a 2019 post that shows just how much I love my stuff.) 

Thus, one part of the problem is dragging stuff.  Another is that I can't leave the stuff in my assigned rooms.  I need to drag it back out with me.  After every class.

I now declare proudly:  The distance and stuff are not the boss of me!  I am the boss of me!  I decided last week that if I can't carry it, I can't teach with it.  And no elevators.  Stairs only.   Stair challenge?  Accepted!

So far so good, but today after class, before my four flights down, my feet requested to be consulted for future challenges.  Sorry feet, but I'm the boss of you too!

3.  Rising Above...Together:  Challenge Accepted!

We end with this last challenge because it makes our hearts soar.  My class today was openly discussing what their lives are like now, at this point in the pandemic.  They discussed what they are grieving, how they are anxious, and what brings them joy.  

We all feel like this was the first time in a long time that we didn't have a choice about how to keep ourselves safe:  Back together in a classroom!  No alternative. 

It's a lot to manage, emotionally,  But we wish you could have heard these future teachers.  In the face of the things that are difficult, they choose to teach.  They embrace being together.  They find joy in their journey.  

You know that I am fine with the fact that I cry often.  They had me, just 30 minutes into class. when they said, "our hearts are open to change."

Rising above?  Challenge Accepted!

Today's Bloom

A throwback:  Back to Massachusetts