Just had my second round of monoclonal antibody infusion (Isatuximab). All the nurses are very impressed with this new drug as well as noting how many new drugs are coming out each year specifically for multiple myeloma. It felt like old home week in the oncology department. Many of the nurses stopped by to chat with me, remembering Tim, remembering our love of plants and remembering that my parents were Deaf. Maybe they just don't have many gay couples who are both undergoing cancer treatments at the same time.

Today my infusion wasn't as long (3 hours compared with 6+ hours last week). The nurses were able to speed it up a bit, but as a precaution gave me a few other drugs since I still had a mild reaction. It went pretty well and, so far, no notable side-effects although I'm a bit wiped out. They anticipate my infusion next week will be even shorter (less than 2 hours) as I adjust to this new drug. In the meantime, I'm also taking a daily chemo pill (Revlimid) as well as a weekly steroid (Dexamethazone). If all goes well, I may be able to switch to having the infusion every other week rather than every week starting in June. But, I'll also have to continue on the other two drugs daily/weekly.

I know friends and family are worried about me, but so far I'm really doing ok other than being tired a lot of the time. I'm managing to cook, read, garden (a bit), order groceries online and even take daily walks. I'm also going through four large bins of letters, cards, newspaper clippings, and loose photos. Some of them date back to when I was a baby. This is one of those things I thought I'd be doing when I'm sitting in my rocking chair at an advanced age. But, I guess, the time is now. I've whittled all these mementoes down to less than a quarter of one bin. I'm amazed at all the people, events and experiences I've forgotten about. I even forgot one of my jobs in Tucson that I had for a whole year and a half. What would I have done without all these reminders?

I still have to keep pretty strict about not socializing right now. Not just because of COVID, but because my immune system is so depleted that I'm vulnerable to any little cold, flu or other bug out there. Hopefully, that will change in the coming months.

Thanks, again, for all the good vibes you're sending my way from near and far.

Emerging from a kiva at Bandelier National Monument.