More Good News

It seems my cancer markers are still down, indicating no cancer growth.  To say I am grateful is an understatement.  In fact, I don't need to see my oncologist for three months.  So other than monthly flushes of my infusion port, I won't be traveling to the chemo clinic for a quarter of a year.  We have no idea what the future holds or how long the remaining cancer cells will remain dormant.  But we refuse to focus on that.  We are taking the good news for what it is and no more.  And I still wake up every morning and say aloud, "thank you for another day."  I don't specify to whom it is addressed so that it will cover all to whom it may concern.

We gave the miniature fishing cabinet to my oncologist after the visit and he was delighted.  His face lit up like a little boy with his first electric train (or whatever is the modern-day equivalent).  He kept pointing out tiny little things and said it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.  I offered to help him put it back in the padded gift bag and he refused.  He wanted to carry it to his office in his hands.  All three of us - the doctor, my husband, and I - left the office smiling broadly.

I saw a couple of the nurses as I was leaving and they ran up to me clapping because they already knew about my good counts.  They are absolutely the most caring and wonderful people I have ever met in such horrible times.

I have several things on my schedule for the next month, not the least of which is a visit from our daughter.  So I am going to be pretty busy as I relish my good fortune.  I'll take a break from blogging unless something important comes along.

I will leave you with an early autumn photograph taken right in our community. I took it at the base of one waterfall, pointing at the larger waterfall for whom our community is named.

And the lovely area known as John Rock, now a fish hatchery with a popular hiking trail to the top of the rock.   I took these photographs several years ago when the fall color was truly spectacular.

Today's first quote is from Ingrid Bergman:
"Every day that I challenge this cancer and survive is a victory for me."

I've been a poetry lover since the sing-song rhymes I first heard in early childhood.  One of the best things about Kindle is that I can carry poetry anthologies (or complete works) around with me. 
I will share my favorite autumn poem, "God's World" by Edna St. Vincent Millay.  Think on it as you see the fall colors.

Oh world, I cannot hold thee close enough!
     Thy winds, thy wide gray skies,
     Thy mists that roll and rise!
Thy woods, this autumn day, that ache and sag
And all but cry with colour!  That gaunt crag
To crush! To lift the lean of that black bluff!
World, World, I cannot get thee close enough.

Long have I known the glory in it all,
     But never knew I this;
     Here such a passion is
As stretcheth me apart,---Lord, I do fear
Thou'st made the world too beautiful this year,
My soul is all but out of me,--let fall
No burning leaf; prithee, let no bird calll.

HAVE A WONDERFUL FEW WEEKS

ENJOY THE AUTUMN

NANCE SAYS IT DELAYS THE WINTER