Sometimes you just need to eat a sushi roll. Jim Harrison often discusses the "restorative properties" of certain meals, and I have never felt anything more restoring than the California role I downed with soy sauce and wasabi this afternoon.
It is perhaps not the best idea to consume food that the general public is warned of consuming for the potential for illness when one has a compromised immune system, but then again it made for the most enjoyable sushi role I've ever eaten. If danger had a flavor it would be that of a California roll, and it would be delicious -- especially with soy sauce and wasabi.
The road to the sushi roll began Monday with labs, which revealed my neutrophils had jumped just high enough to commence the next round of chemo "Escalating Methotrexate." This is now round 3 of 6 heavy rounds of chemo which is followed by 3 years of "maintenance," which is much lighter.
Monday began with a spinal tap with chemo, IV methotrexate, and IV vincristine. Apparantly while sedated for the spinal tap, I discussed sushi with my Doctor for the entirety of the procedure often getting so excited that I'd lift my head up putting pressure on the needle in my back and causing all kinds of trouble. The good news was that the Doctor thought it would probably be all right to eat some sushi, which I took full advantage of today after recieving two shots of chemo in the 'ole glutes this morning.
It seems funny to say that having a spinal tap with chemo, two IV chemos and two shots of chemo within two days feels light, but so far my Doctor's promise that this will be an easier stage seems correct. We have 48 days before begining the next, heavier stage "delayed intensification," and I plan on enjoying each and every one of them.
It seems more than fitting that we began this stage of treatment the day classes resumed at UW. It was a wonderful "Spring Break," but I'm happy to be back on the grind again.
Comment question of the day:
What's the best spring break and/or vacation you've ever taken?
Take Care,
Sam
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10 comments:
hey, Sam. congrats on the sushi! when i visit in May i'd like to try the new cajun place on Butler street. have you been?
regarding your prompt, my favorite "spring break" was in 2007 when i went to the Everglades with the alternative break program. our team spent a week camping in the 'glades, working various conservation projects in the morning, and exploring south florida in the afternoon. we had a great experience. can't wait to go back.
talk soon,
Adam
Good to hear from you Sam.
We are headed back in on thursday to get a new port and start Round 5.
Glad you get a little bit of a "break"...geez.
Cancer sucks.
Glad you are feeling a little better.
Candace
Best trips (not in any order):
1) Hawaii (Kaua'i and Maui for 2 weeks for 5th anniversary last summmer)
2) Bora Bora and French Polnesia for 2 weeks (Honeymoon)
3) Snowboarding in Whistler (Vancouver, BC)
4) Hong Kong/Macau (spring 2008)
5) New Orleans Hurricane Katrina clean-up
6) Davos, Switzerland (snowboarding)
7) Mexico City
8) Appalachia (TN) for mission trips
9) Destin, FL (the ol' standby favorite, an easy drive from ATL)
10) Iowa (500 mi bike ride across the state for 10 summers straight, with my dad)
Spring Break '09, just returned from Chile--25th Anniversary.
Best vacation: Western road trip the summer after fifth grade. It was awesome. We went to the Badlands, Yellowstone, and many other great places. I even got to pick and eat Mount Rainier cherries right off the tree. I must say that there is nothing better than fresh fruit right off the tree. MMMM. I haven't had anything like that before or since.
Glad to hear you are in good spirits. Stick in there.
Scott
FIrst of all Sam, love the picture sushi is a weakness of mine. I've made it at home when the urge for Sushi was urgent (& in Rhinelander finding sushi is impossible!)
Best Spring break... every year while I was in college I'd head to FLA for break... no not the wild parties that the kids pursue these days. I'd fly down and spend my break with my grandparents (Hugo & Helen). Corny I know, but those mornings walking the beach with Hugo I cherish still. I am so
grateful that I had the opportunity to get to spend the time with them.
Hang in there and eat some sushi for me!
Best spring break? All the years that we had 3, 6, 10 stinky, grumpy, caffinated kids stuffed into the "bago" for a 27-hour, stopping-for-gas only, sleep-where-you-can-find-floor-space road trips to Palm Island. Life does not get much better than that. I miss those days horribly, although at the time, I must admit, I thought I would go out of my mind. :)
hi Sam! it's been a long time since our last encounter, that cold day on your porch!
i'm so glad the doctors let you have sushi--mmmm! And yes, reading your blog definitely always makes me hungry...Best Spring Break...hmm. Probably 2001 I think when I was a Sophomore at Berkeley-- me and my stoner friends took a road trip along Highway 1, the coastal highway in Cali-- We stopped at Morro Bay, rented kayaks and paddled all the way out to this huge sand dune island. I was in charge of bringing the lighter. When we finally arrived, my friends looked at me and asked for the lighter...Searching my pockets, I came up with nothin'! "Uhhh, sorry guys!" Needless to say, they were quite pissed. Now that was memorable!
Take good care, Sam! Every time I board my zebra single speed, I think of you.
Missing your updates, Sam! Hope you are ok...
Hi Sam!
Oooo Sushi. Yum Yum.
My best spring break was probably sailing around the British Virgin Islands with the Brusos, my family, and Morten Iverson (remember him? the foreign exchange student from Denmark?) We snorkeled, sailed, and stopped at small islands for some good seafood and dancing. We stopped at one island called "sandy spit" that was all sand and a lone palm tree. Later, my dad found a picture in a magazine of it.
...This last spring break was particularly nice, however, because my family came down here to visit me in FL and we did the whole Disney thing. It was so good to spend time with all of them.
Well, Sam, I think about you a lot and wonder how you are doing. Hang in there bud.
-Dani
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