Even though it was a long and tiring trip for Erica, it was so wonderful to have her & Jaci in San Francisco last month. She blossomed and basked under the love and warmth of family and close friends and almost forgot all about the pain and aches and the endless medications she has to endure everyday. She felt rejuvenated and refreshed with all support and loving care everyone showered upon her, not to mention the fine dining she was subjected to everyday during her five days’ stay. Jaci didn’t do too shabbily either. She was treated three out of her five nights with her favorite dish – West Coast Dungeness crabs…yum!
On Wednesday, at Dana Farber, Erica got her last shot of Asparaginase, the
experimental chemo drug she was on. Jaci bought Dunkin’ Donuts (Kent, you would be proud of her bearing gifts into the Infusion Room for the nurses & staff) to celebrate this auspicious date with everyone. The next phase of her protocol will start in a couple of weeks beginning again with series of three week cycles of chemo/drugs/steroids but of a lesser dosage. This fourth maintenance phase will last through to February 2008, and her physician team has assured her that she will feel much better during this phase and be more her old self again. She is of course skeptical but we’re all positive towards the outlook.
I have been here in Boston now for a week and the weather has been unseasonably warm
for this time of year. It did rain a couple of days but otherwise it’s been really nice. Jaci is planning a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner which she will be cooking, with Erica as her sous chef and me as a tablescape doer/planner/whatever. Anyway, that is the job I have been allocated. Gioia, Evelyn and Akshay will grace our table that evening as this will be their first American Thanksgiving. Luke & Denny are leaving today for the bay area where they will spend the holidays with their respective families. Denny so misses his baby Devon & Jacie. Erica & Jaci both join me in wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and whatever trials and tribulations this past year brought, perhaps there is always that proverbial silver lining hovering somewhere for us to uncover and still be thankful for all the blessings we did receive although perhaps at this point in time, we are unaware of what they may be.
Peace, blessings & love…
2 comments:
Hey Erica,
It's been a long time since we last talked. This is the first time on your blog. Somehow I had learned months ago that you had been diagnosed w/ Leukemia...Sounds like you really have a great support network and that you are doing as well as you can, given the circumstances. Keep up the fight!
This sounds a little strange, but for some reason, I had a dream last night that was about you and your battle w/ cancer. I don't know why I dreamt about you, as I haven't heard from you in such a long time. But I woke up, said a prayer for you, and searched online for news/updates about you. Which brings me to this site.
I appreciate what you wrote on an earlier blog about no regrets and living life to its fullest. There is a certain deep joy that comes from saying yes to life and all its opportunities. My wife, Clara, and I have said "Yes" to an opportunity to move to Malawi to do some work through our church. That's another whole story for another day. But we are trying to pursue God's calling in our lives, and though we don't always know what is going on, it is definitely worth it. So if I can encourage you in any way, I encourage you to continue to embrace life in its fullest form. Keep on hoping. Keep on loving. Keep giving all that you have and are. And seek God with all of your heart. I truly believe God is there and that he wants to reveal himself to you.
Though we haven't talked much in recent years since leaving Oxy, I've appreciated our friendship and our conversations. You have an admirable character and a beauty that comes from within. I wish you the best as you continue your treatments. God bless, and take care!
- Jeff Chan
Btw, you can check out my blog, which I update infrequently, at: www.xanga.com/jeffchanis.
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