Hi All!

Again, it’s been a while since we’ve chatted, and we know it’s been a tough year for most everyone. We sincerely hope you are safely navigating your bumpy roads, and this update finds you happy, healthy and safe.

We just wanted to touch base and give you our “Reader’s Digest” update. If you have followed this blog you know we arrived at our home (The Paddle House) in Bend, Oregon this past May. We really enjoyed our time nesting, getting lots of “honey-do” projects completed, visiting with old friends and meeting new ones, and having out-of-town friends visit while enjoying the beautiful community of Bend.

We were preparing to leave and return to Scout, who has been all alone and on the hard in St. Mary’s Georgia, when we had yet another “bump in our road”. I hadn’t been feeling well for about a week, so I scheduled an appointment with my doctor. After lots of poking and prodding, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Yuck! And with only one Gynecological Oncologist in Bend we had some decisions to make.

So, here is the Reader’s Digest version. We decided to go to MD Anderson’s Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.  We have family in Katy, Texas (a suburb of Houston) who have been encouraging us to come to MD Anderson for a second opinion/treatment. My sister-in-law (Michelle) has a house in Katy for business even though she and her husband (Michael’s brother, Richard) live in Dallas, Texas. Michelle and Richard were kind enough to offer their Katy home to us as a place to stay while going to the cancer center. My sister, Sandy, also lives in Katy (they are just five miles apart) and offered to go with me and/or take me to appointments.  So, the decision was made and on Sunday (10/18) morning we packed the car with our stuff and the doggies and drove four long long long days to Katy.

MD Anderson confirmed the cancer diagnosis and accepted me for treatment and it looks like I will start chemo on Thursday. The plan is for three chemo treatments first, then if all goes as planned, surgery, followed by three more chemo sessions.

And, a back story – Michael decided not to get treatment for his prostate cancer in Bend. After much research and talking with knowledgeable friends he decided do “proton” therapy. MD Anderson’s Cancer Center is one of the few facilities that offer Proton Therapy, so he is looking into getting treatment here as well. Aren’t we just the closest couple? Going through everything together – including cancer treatment? Maybe we can get a double-bed hospital room so we can hold hands during our treatments.

So, our road looks a bit bumpy, but we are at one of the best cancer facilities in the world with supportive family and a beautiful place to stay. Again, we ended up being very lucky.

Wishing you all the very best and we will keep you posted…..

Sorry, no photos this time.