April 5, 2020

Dear Friends and Family -

We sincerely hope this message finds you safe and healthy. This is quite the time we are living through. I have to say, when I got a stage IV cancer diagnosis I figured this was the most terrifying thing I would every experience. I was wrong. Having stage IV cancer during a global pandemic that is easily spread is even more unsettling. That being said, we're doing ok, staying home and avoiding everyone. No one has come down with anything, yet.

My monthly visit to the cancer center and my oncologist went fine. (A description of how they are managing safety at the center is below.) We are staying the course. My CA 27-29 tumor marker number went up a bit (lower is better, best to be under 38; I started at 122, last month was 43, this month is 48). It's so frustrating to have values bounce around; I have no control over it and since you know me, you know how that makes me feel. I'll continue on the same medication, no change to anything. The doctor indicated he'd order scans again in June.

So, this is the plan. Just what I wrote. Monthly doctor visits with blood work, looking for new symptoms or reactions, bone and CT scans every three months. We are monitoring things, hoping to catch any changes so we can adjust treatment course if needed.

Everything right now is so trying for everyone. We are grateful that Glen and I can still work remotely and the girls are old enough to work independently on school here at home. We worry about all of you, especially those of you working in health care. Thank you for continuing to help people in these scary times.

Sending love and good health to you all.

Donna & Glen

The Cancer Center is only allowing staff and patients in the facility. A nurse was stationed at the entrance and verified I had an appointment and took my temperature. Anyone with a temperature of 100.5 or higher would be turned away, patients or staff. Much of the area had tape blocking off access. All magazines and papers were removed. I went upstairs to the waiting room and it was empty. Literally no one other than one receptionist. Usually it's full. Apparently they are spreading out appointments to avoid contact between patients. All medical staff were wearing masks. The infusion center was also much emptier than normal. I got a chair right by the window so that was a bonus. The nurse told me the scheduling center is closed to in person appointments, you have to call, and all the triage nurses are working from home. I was there for my normal amount of time and was glad to go home when I was done.

The center is only 5 miles from my house and for my morning appointments it's usually a 10-15 minute drive due to all the traffic going in to Boulder. I think I made it there in 7 or 8 minutes. It's the only time my car has been out of the garage in the past three weeks!