This Keytruda cancer treatment I’m receiving for the melanoma on my nose is kicking my butt, but I am A-OKAY.
Every 3 weeks, I go to Carti, a premier cancer center in Little Rock, Arkansas, for an infusion of this miracle drug that ramps up your own T-cells to attack the cancer (cool!). Ten years ago, even with radiation and chemo, my type of Melanoma would have had a life expectancy of only 5 years. But not anymore.
This new immunotherapy drug does not make your hair fall out, but it does have side effects. If you read the list, it’s everything you can think of. So far, the only one I have is occasional skin rash and apathy. I don’t want to do anything – which is weird for me. I once called myself a “stepper”: a person with boundless energy, who saw opportunities everywhere, and loved the process of building things. That girl is asleep.
A Lost Year
If it weren’t for my job and husband pushing me, I am not sure I would ever get off the couch, get dressed, or bathe. Just kidding about the bathing, but I would sleep all day, if possible. I know many of you survivors know what I am talking about.
This past week, my husband Grady and I were in Florida visiting the good folks in our North Miami shop. Just prior to the trip, I had my Keytruda infusion and boy-o-boy was it working. While my T-cells were attacking the cancer cells, I slept. On the plane down, in the hour Uber ride to our condo, and again at our destination where I flopped on the couch for another long nap. On day two, Grady said, “Get dressed we’re going to church.”
Trinity Church
Unless your Catholic and can understand Spanish, there is not a lot of churching going on down in Miami. In our almost 3 years of partial residency in Florida, we have found a couple of Episcopal churches to visit where we feel comfortable and understand the liturgy. The one in the picture above is Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Miami proper. Our other favorite church is in the opposite direction, in Ft. Lauderdale.
Built In 1896, this once thriving, beautifully hand painted cathedral is dwarfed by high-rises on all sides and sits just under Highway 95. There are few parishioners left to fill the grand old church but its heritage is still important, evidenced by the guest Bishop from Canterbury Cathedral, UK, passing through with a sermon while we were there.
Though the Bishop had a heavy British accent, you could tell the breadth of his knowledge and we enjoyed his homily.
While, I am sure, Grady prayed for me to get well (he doesn’t want to be left with all these balls in the air), I prayed to forgive myself for being lazy.
Though I am sure I am going to be OKAY (prayers answered) it doesn’t change that 2024 is going to be a different kind of year for me.
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