August 21, 2007
High heat and humidity encompass the days at Sanctuary; mosquitoes and spiders flourish and Monarch butterflies are beginning to gather around the thistle and milk weed plants. The spiders are especially active – the paths between trees and tall grasses appear to be prime real estate for fine dining because there are webs at face level every twenty or thirty feet. When we walk after dark we see the various species of spiders in the flashlight beams busily wrapping up the catches of the day. We carefully move around and under the web work, and keep our mouths shut just in case we miss one and find an unwelcome creature trying to get off our teeth.
This is also the season for wildflowers; whenever I see them, I think of the person(s) who first discovered them in the grasses and delighted in their unexpected offerings of beauty in an otherwise treeless and severe landscape. The blooms we see scattered across the pasture right now bear the wonderful names of Partridge Pea, Ironweed, Snow on the Mountain, Goldenrod, Gayfeather and Blazing Star.
I have completed my thirteenth round of Chemotherapy and with the exception of a great deal of soreness at the injection sites, all went better than expected until the sixth day of seven; then the exhaustion, nausea, etc., arrived in a manner which seemed to be my body shouting, “Enough already!” Now I am back into the routine of daily Neupogen shots for ten days and weekly blood draws until October 2, which is the date set for the bone marrow aspiration. It is hard. I do try to recall all the good times so recently enjoyed and give thanks for them, but I think the contrast makes the present reality even more difficult to pick up again. Charles fills the air with encouraging words and reminds me that he still cannot cook at all well – so onward we go. C’est la vie.