Thursday, October 04, 2007
October 4th. I've been in Philadelphia for a little over a month now. I don't feel settled in yet, really, but it is getting there. From that first arrival in late August, sleeping on Phyllis & Bill's sofa bed, I've moved into my little apartment and installed enough basic furniture to begin living relatively comfortably. The location is great - excellent mass transit, free to an old guy like me, a grocery store, laundry, deli and liquor store around the corner, with all of center city easily accessible.
I am living on a wonderfully leafy street in the old historic district. My house is on the left in the picture, there may be a little yellow RENT sign in front of it. On the other side of the street is the old home of James and Dolly Madison, which is always pointed out by the drivers of the horse-drawn carriages that ply my street.
Socially, my life is slowly coming together too. I've been welcomed back by old friends at the Unitarian Church, and am attending a selection of meetings at a Temple University
program. Found the Philadelphia Sketch Club that provides live models 3 or 4X per week, and that will be fun, too. Today I've rented a car, and will drive the 100 miles or so to Lancaster to visit my sister Arlene. I also want very much to get to the New Jersey shore while the ocean is still warm.
As noted in an earlier post, I met with my oncologist here and am pleased with his care. And after that I went to Boston for a second opinion on the course of treatment, and so am now very comfortable with what has been planned out. Treatment began last Friday, with a 6-hr chemotherapy session by IV. As expected, the effects have been quite mild, and it appears that I can expect similar results throughout the therapy lasting over the next six months or so. I guess that if one has to have cancer, I have been quite fortunate in the type I am dealing with.
What this leaves me with is a rather unsettled feeling about what I want to be doing with myself. I have far too much energy to just sit and twiddle my thumbs, but haven't yet found where to dig in to something meaningful. I had been thinking about working in Hispanic issues, which would also help me retain whatever Spanish I have learned. But I am not finding that this resonates with needs here, and so am afraid that this is not a useful path. Rationally, I guess after just one month I don't need to beat myself up over this too much just yet.
Matt has flown in from China to be with me for a month. Nice to have his help and companionship, but gosh it really is a very small apartment. To some extent, it feels like a lot of things are on hold while he is here. I think he expected to find me much more debilitated and was expecting to provide convalescent care. I'm so glad it isn't needed.
I am living on a wonderfully leafy street in the old historic district. My house is on the left in the picture, there may be a little yellow RENT sign in front of it. On the other side of the street is the old home of James and Dolly Madison, which is always pointed out by the drivers of the horse-drawn carriages that ply my street.Socially, my life is slowly coming together too. I've been welcomed back by old friends at the Unitarian Church, and am attending a selection of meetings at a Temple University
program. Found the Philadelphia Sketch Club that provides live models 3 or 4X per week, and that will be fun, too. Today I've rented a car, and will drive the 100 miles or so to Lancaster to visit my sister Arlene. I also want very much to get to the New Jersey shore while the ocean is still warm.As noted in an earlier post, I met with my oncologist here and am pleased with his care. And after that I went to Boston for a second opinion on the course of treatment, and so am now very comfortable with what has been planned out. Treatment began last Friday, with a 6-hr chemotherapy session by IV. As expected, the effects have been quite mild, and it appears that I can expect similar results throughout the therapy lasting over the next six months or so. I guess that if one has to have cancer, I have been quite fortunate in the type I am dealing with.
What this leaves me with is a rather unsettled feeling about what I want to be doing with myself. I have far too much energy to just sit and twiddle my thumbs, but haven't yet found where to dig in to something meaningful. I had been thinking about working in Hispanic issues, which would also help me retain whatever Spanish I have learned. But I am not finding that this resonates with needs here, and so am afraid that this is not a useful path. Rationally, I guess after just one month I don't need to beat myself up over this too much just yet.
Matt has flown in from China to be with me for a month. Nice to have his help and companionship, but gosh it really is a very small apartment. To some extent, it feels like a lot of things are on hold while he is here. I think he expected to find me much more debilitated and was expecting to provide convalescent care. I'm so glad it isn't needed.
