The good news is great: Scans and blood tests show that the chemotherapy worked. There's no evidence of my original tumor, a new tumor, or metastasis in my bones. (It took three scans to confirm that last part.) My cancer antigen number has been in the normal range the last four times that test was run. In addition, physical therapy has been helping to reduce the pain in my neck and upper back.

But treatment is a long haul, and I still have at least a year and a half of immunotherapy infusions to go. Spending those days with friends has been essential for managing my anxiety and buoying my spirits.

My next two appointments are set, and I'd love to have a friend accompany me to each of them.

The next one is Thursday, October 10. If you've wanted to join me for an infusion but hate waking up early—night owls represent!—this one isn't so bad. You'd pick me up at noon, we'd hang out at the cancer center, including meeting the latest in a series of nurse practitioners and the infusion itself, and probably be all done by 4 PM.  (Bonus: We probably won't get stuck behind a garbage truck or sit in rush-hour traffic.)

The following appointment, on Friday, November 1, is another one for the early birds. (If you're going to an all-night Halloween party, this one's probably not for you.) For this treatment, you'd pick me up around 8:25 AM, we'd hang out at the cancer center and meet with my awesome and very cool doctor, stick around for the infusion etc., and finish up a little after noon.

For those about to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, best wishes for a happy, healthy, and peaceful 5785! (And for those not celebrating Rosh Hashanah, best wishes for a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2024–25!)