#japanesegarden

9/15/26

Hello to my faithful readers! Thank you for following along with me, and thanks for your patience when I don’t post updates very frequently.

My last blog post was in late July, and at that time I was catching up on events from May.

Now it is mid-September—almost time for those of us in the northern hemisphere to shift from summer to fall—and so I find my planned “Northwest summer” wrapping up. I have spent much of it here in the Portland area, but I did have two cat sitting gigs in Olympia—one in late May and early June, and one that just wrapped up last week. I’ll share some photos here from the early-summer time there, because it was really beautiful.

Unfortunately, though, a couple weeks ago the fall/winter/spring travel plans I had excitedly shared here back in late June are now postponed, probably for another year. That is because the routine mammogram I had in August led to a follow-up ultrasound, which led to a follow-up biopsy, which led to a diagnosis of breast cancer—specifically ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS.

I certainly had not been expecting this, and as you might imagine, I can’t say I was happy to receive the news. However, I am doing my best to see what lies ahead as my alternative “new adventure/new journey,” and I’m curious to see what kinds of personal and spiritual growth, and new life insights and perspectives, may come from this. (One early blessing: I made an announcement post on social media that garnered an outpouring of emotional support so overwhelming that it left me teary. I am so grateful for all the love and support of the people in my life.)

To minimize any alarm you might be feeling on my behalf, I want to reassure that this cancer was caught very early by the routine mammogram, so the mass was only 6mm at that time. (I can’t even feel it.) It is considered to be stage 0 or 1 cancer. (I had never heard of stage 0 cancer!)

The medical team that was swiftly assembled for me at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) seem all wonderfully kind and competent. All of my—admittedly limited—medical experiences thus far have been good.

They have given me a very optimistic prognosis, so while I’m not looking forward to the physical discomfort and changes to my body in the coming months, I am anticipating that I will recover fully and well. Since I announced the diagnosis on social media, I have actually been contacted by probably close to ten women I know, telling me that they themselves, or a close relative of theirs, had survived a similar diagnosis and treatment plan, and that they have been thriving ever since. (Some of them for more than 20 years!)

My treatment will probably consist of a lumpectomy surgery in the next couple of weeks (my surgery consult is this Thursday, the 17th, where we will finalize that plan) followed by radiation and ongoing medical intervention in the form of hormone therapy, since my type of cancer is estrogen- and progesterone-receptor positive. Fortunately, they are not recommending chemo at this time. I am counting my lucky stars for that.

The entire treatment and recovery time will probably be about three months, I believe.

In light of that—along with very fortunately aligned timing of my current tenant moving out on the 17th as well—I have made the unexpected decision to move back into my condo in southeast Portland, probably until the end of the year, at which point I plan to return to cat sitting full time, and possibly traveling as well. I will have to wait and see how things play out before making any specific travel plans.

I think it will be surreal to step back across that threshold, which I have not crossed since September 10th, 2021, when I pedaled away on the beginning of my adventure. Almost exactly five years. It feels poignant.

This will give me a chance to check and see how things are holding up in the place. Maybe see if any repairs or upgrades need to be made. I hope I can visit with some of my old neighbors, many of whom still live in the building.

Although I had not planned to move back in there for at least several more years, it feels very right to me in this moment, given the circumstances. It will be nice to be in a comfortable, familiar space, in a convenient location, while I go through treatment and recovery. And I think the occasion of the five-year mark from having begun this new way of life will be a good chance to reflect, and have a little re-set, before embarking once again.

I think I’ll close this post here, but in the coming weeks I hope to write to keep you updated on my condition, and possibly also share some of the photo highlights from this summer, both beautiful nature scenes and cute furry kitties.

Meanwhile, I wish you all good health! Please enjoy these photos from my time in Olympia in late May and early June.

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