September 23, 2006
Yesterday we marked summer’s end with a party that began in the pasture next to the sumac with its bright red colors made memorable by the setting sun’s light shining from the west. It was a perfect evening for the celebration that said goodbye to one season and hello to the next. How grand it felt to proffer the toast “To Life!” with thanksgiving for the privilege of being present at the onset of another autumn.
Trees are turning gold, grasses and wild flowers are abundant and the blackbirds are gathering in huge flocks that fly into the tree tops with a great clatter of bird communications. (Are they discussing the weather? Who’s in charge? Which way to go?) Today, the first day of fall came in as though it was following the almanac with low, fast clouds dropping a light rain, and winds from the north carrying the restless feeling of something different coming. Our bird community was silent so the forest walk took place to the sound of the wind and an occasional defiant cricket chirp.
Time moves so quickly! I have my blood checked weekly to see if it is holding up and last week’s reading indicated a white blood count dropping to below the normal range. This quite possibly is a result of the chemotherapy, because I am no longer taking injections of Neupogen, but it stayed my hand in writing a letter to the oncologist in which I planned to say, “As long as my blood counts remain in the normal range, I would like to propose holding off with the next round of treatment until such time as it drops, etc., etc.” Perhaps I will say “blood counts remain somewhere near the normal range”. I feel good again, and I am told that I look well by people who see me. Considering that years have gone by when no one commented at all, I can only rejoice at the positive reinforcement.