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Introduction
A Feb. 8 colonoscopy produced a diagnosis of colorectal cancer.  Doctors recommended a course of radiation treatment, chemotherapy, and surgery.  It was all very intimidating; the Colontown Facebook groups were particularly helpful as I tried to figure things out.  Over the next months I endured 25 doses of radiation treatment (over a month finishing at the beginning May) and six rounds of chemotherapy (finishing in mid-October).  It all took a lot of time and energy, and a particular challenge was to keep morale up.  Many people have provided support and encouragement—and some people a tremendous amount of support and encouragement—for which I am most grateful.  Through it all, my basic strategy was to exercise as much as possible, to keep running and swimming, and I believe that really helped reduce side effects.

There were difficult moments and effects along the way including: downing the viscous sorbitol solution prior to the colonoscopy, coming down with COVID, going through the radiation treatment with all the uncertainty about its effects, having a port installed for chemotherapy, major concerns about the side effects of the FOLFOX treatment particularly neuropathy, going in for the two hours of infusion followed by two days with the portable, having to self administer Nivestym shots, nausea, and serious disruption of sleep.  As someone who doesn't like to take any pills, having to take in such a range of chemicals was difficult.  I also had difficulty drinking sufficient liquids. 

Having finished with chemo in mid-October, there followed several weeks of uncertainty—CT and MRI scans were set for Nov. 2 and 3.  This period of uncertainty was a very difficult period.  The key question is: what effect did these treatments have? Did they get the job done and will surgery be necessary?  I am really hoping to avoid surgery.  I decided to wedge in a trip to Yosemite in an attempt to boost morale.

The trip was expensive—car rental, gas, accomodations, entrance fee—but worth it.  I was good to get as far as possible away from the medical realm.  I drove up on October 25 and stayed two nights at Curry Village.  The timing proved perfect.  It was the middle of the week so the crowds were not noticeable, and the weather, apart from an overnight rainstorm on the 25th, was fine.  I did not attempt any strenuous hikes, but did cover a lot of ground.  On October 26 I hiked around in the Valley.  On October 26 I went up the Tioga Road and made stops at a number of favorite sites.  The pages that follow show some of what I saw and did. in this amazing place.  When all this is over, I really need not two days, but two months in such an environment to regain equilibrium.

Tomorrow, I talk with the doctors to learn what the scans showed and where things stand.

ema 11/9/23
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