I had a great time in Palm Springs last week, taking daily hikes up several of the native palm canyons. I guess that’s why they call it Palm Springs. Duh! The palms provided great shade and coolness considering out in the open it was often up to 98 degrees. Despite the hot weather, there were still plenty of wildflowers at higher elevations that hadn't dried to a crisp and I just loved being in the desert again. The lull before the storm...

When I came back from Palm Springs, the first item on my agenda was to get a bone marrow biopsy. Not the most pleasant experience, but I’ve had them before and this one went well. It usually takes up to a week to get the results, so it was a little alarming when my oncologist contacted me the next day. My cancer has accelerated (70% of my plasma cells) so he wants me to start treatment asap. There went my planned trips to Santa Fe and the mountains.

Starting early next week, I’ll be getting weekly infusions of monoclonal antibodies plus a chemo and a steriod at least for the next few months. I also have an upcoming PET scan to determine the extent of the bone degradation in my left shoulder. After that, depending on how effective the drugs are, my treatments will continue for the foreseeable future. I’m disappointed that my 4-year run of being treatment-free has come to an end. I’m hoping the side-effects from this new round of treatment will be minimal and that I can still do a lot on my own. While I don't have Tim any more to weather this storm, I’m fortunate to have numerous friends offer help from driving to cooking whenever I might need that. However, because of my increased susceptibility to infection and COVID, I’m also having to limit socializing and just being out in public. Sigh. Back to online shopping and virtual get-togethers...

Photos from top to bottom: Palm Canyon, Whitewater Preserve, Antelope Valley State Poppy Reserve