Turtle Marathon

We’ve always considered the turtle to be one of our totem animals. When we think this way, we’re often romanticizing the Easy Rider myth or van life (living in shelter that’s mobile, man) or critiquing our own guarded natures (when in many ways we want to be tender and open to the world).

We’ve never admired its slow-and-steady pace, though.

Life has grudgingly taught us patience, mind you, but we haven’t always been on a straight path – Randy graduated from college in just three terms (Bush, Clinton, and Bush), and Julie flirted with being a veterinarian technician before going back for her doctorate – and we certainly never thought we would be on a slow road to a life-saving transplant.

But we’re in a turtle marathon now. The next seven weeks or so will include testing and transfusions as Julie’s blood counts drop (and gradually climbs) from the latest chemotherapy round. In addition to twice-a-week tests, she’ll need to have or prepare for dental work, meet with the transplant team, and undergo a full-body workup to be medically cleared for the procedure later this summer.

After this ‘quiet period,’ she will return to Lebanon for the second consolidation round.

The badass panda is literally hours from her next nadir – the point following chemotherapy when her blood count is so low that she is susceptible to infection, is fatigued, or struggles with mucositis or sickness – but she’s doing well at the moment. The panda roared out of Dartmouth-Hitchcock with thrush again, but it seems to clearing, and even though she’s very tired, she’s also dug in for the ride.

Although there will be inevitable complications in the road (potential medical issues, emotional fatigue, spiritual malaise or confusion), we’re on a path. The Badass Panda Queen and her monkey mate will experience new and sometimes frightening things, but we’re learning the rules of this dangerous Central-Maine-styled rotary circle and it does lead somewhere.

Our next update will likely be in mid-May after the second round of consolidation is complete, and from there we’ll post more regular updates during the transplant and recovery phase of this turtle marathon.

Until then, we’re grateful to have family, friends, and loved ones on this journey as we slowly (and boldly!) work toward a cure and full recovery, with a goal to cross the finish line by the end of 2021!