Life update!

Since so much has transpired since I last wrote or updated my blog, I thought it would be a good time to say hello again!

(I've put all the details of the treatments I've been taking in a separate post if you're interested. That way the narrative flows unimpeded by science!)

By late May, I knew that I had to change something drastically with my situation in Austin. My treatment regimen was running upwards of $2500 per month, and my 3-day a week job was paying much less than that. Fortunately, at just that moment, my friend Heather told me about a well-paying temp job at UC Berkeley that I could hop into if I came out quickly -- so I did! Liz was wonderfully supportive of my move, and my employers at UT were incredibly gracious about letting me leave with only one day's notice. The job at UC Berkeley has worked out great and I am still there. (Most amazingly, it also offered fabulous health benefits!) The people are nice to work with, the workload isn't stressful, and I've been pleasantly surprised to find that I can handle a normal 40-hour week. My energy is still up and down depending on the day, but I have overall been feeling great.

With the job in place, I started to piece together a life here in Berkeley. Liz came out for a month and was an unbelievable help. She found us a sublet right in downtown Berkeley with her old friends the Schneiders, and we had a great time living in their third-floor loft space. I've lived in the Bay Area for years, and Liz grew up in San Jose, so the terrain was familiar to us. We enjoyed discovering the delights of Berkeley and the East Bay, and the unmatchable diversity of California plants and flowers. After looking at several apartments, Liz and I finally signed a lease two weeks ago for a beautiful place in an old Victorian in South Berkeley. It's just a few blocks from the BART train, shopping, and the meditation ashram we go to.

My health has been pretty good for most of the time out here. Last month I had the great good fortune of discovering a Center for ayurvedic healing in the area, and am currently on a treatment regimen that I can sustain financially and will carry me through the long term. (details in the next post) Through this program I am already feeling a lot stronger and more confident.

Although my PSA had been rising somewhat, my semi-annual bone scan in July showed that my bone metastases were stable or smaller than they had been in January. The oncologist (Dr. Swift) wanted to check out a few details and did so with an x-ray this Monday. Unfortunately, it showed a large ("ping-pong ball sized") growth on top of my right femur, and several smaller spots in my mid-pelvis. Although this is troubling, Dr. Swift says I'm in no current danger of fracture and will keep an eye on things. My monthly Zometa infusions will help to keep this from growing quickly. To be honest, I had seen this coming a few weeks previously. When the bone metastases start growing, they dump a huge amount of excess calcium into my system (hypercalcemia), which I have been experiencing as really unbelievable constipation. I also "threw out my hip" for a week and found it difficult to walk -- which I now recognize as a symptom of the growth on my femur. (walking is perfectly fine now, tho -- I can still feel that "something" is going on, but it's in the background.)

Although I am hardly excited by this news, I'm maintaining a pretty even keel about it. It certainly has my attention, and I'm looking for a way to accelerate my ayurvedic treatment so that its effect will kick in sooner than planned. I also am evaluating all of my "Plan B" treatments (pancreatic enzymes, mega-supplements, and immunotherapy in Germany) to activate them at the appropriate time. I will definitely keep you all posted!

I am so grateful for all of the good wishes that you all have sent. I am also grateful beyond words for all of the amazing support from Liz -- she has been a real trouper through all of this, and has not had an easy time of it. She is back in Austin now disassembling our previous apartment, and working on paintings for her new show "Big Heads" that will be at the Bay Six Gallery in October. You can see some of her great recent work at www.lizpenniman.com, or send her words of support at lizpenniman AT yahoo dot com. I also want to send a big thank you to Heather and Michael and Philip, and everyone else who has helped us out along the way -- thank you!

lots of love and best wishes for all of your endeavors!