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# To the Moon and Back

A Couple's Journey with Melanoma

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://tothemoonandback.net/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Still Alive and Well](https://tothemoonandback.net/still-alive-and-well/) - My apologies for not updating this site since 2022. The truth is, there hasn't really been much to report in terms of my melanoma. My scans since then have been, as the radiologists put it, unremarkable. My oncologist doesn't like to use the term "cured", but it has been over seven years since I was
- [More Good News](https://tothemoonandback.net/more-good-news/) - It has been a long time since I've posted here (that seems to be a recurring theme). In fact, I just noticed today that my website SSL certificate has been out-of-date since January. I renewed the certificate, but I neglected to install it, so visitors to this site have been seeing warnings telling them, since
- [Feeling grateful](https://tothemoonandback.net/feeling-grateful/) - Note: the following post was originally written in June of 2021. For some reason, I never clicked the publish button. Here it is now. Wow, I can't believe that it has been almost six months since I have posted an update. The last time I wrote (in January) I had scans coming up in February.
- [I'm Baaaaaa-ck!](https://tothemoonandback.net/im-baaaaaa-ck/) - Whenever I spend some time between posts, it's often because I don't have not much to write about, melanoma-wise. And that's kind of the way things are now. My last scans in August were clean of active cancer and I feel pretty good. My scans are now scheduled every six months, so everything should be
- [A New Year](https://tothemoonandback.net/a-new-year/) - All right, the picture here is of me and our new family member, Jayden. Jayden is a Serama chicken. Lynn raised her from an egg and she follows Lynn around constantly. I think that Jayden sees Lynn as her mother hen because she wasn't raised with any other chickens, just us. While Lynn is the
- [Checking in](https://tothemoonandback.net/checking-in/) - First, I can't believe that I haven't posted an update since June! No, excuses really. at least nothing medical. My health has continued to be great. My most recent scans were on October 7th, and were again clear of active melanoma. Yay! I have a another scan scheduled for next February and if those are
- [My new normal](https://tothemoonandback.net/my-new-normal/) - One of the phrases that gets under my skin during this pandemic is "the new normal." I won't go into why that phrase irks me right now, but I've found that it can also apply to living with melanoma. At least it does after you've beaten it back and have a few clean scans under
- [Something to celebrate](https://tothemoonandback.net/something-to-celebrate/) - The bottle of beer on the left had been tucked away in the back of the refrigerator for a few months. Duvel is probably my favorite beer in the world (and I love beer), but I was saving it for when I got a job offer. Well, I am still available for offers of employment,
- [Random thoughts, part 2](https://tothemoonandback.net/random-thoughts-part-2/) - I'm going to finish my post from yesterday, discussing some non-melanoma things that are on my mind. First, though, I should mention again that Lynn and I are meeting with my oncologist via telehealth (video) call this afternoon to learn the results of my latest scans. I'm not too nervous because I feel good and
- [Random thoughts, part 1](https://tothemoonandback.net/random-thoughts/) - I usually try to think of a theme for my posts here, but I have so many thoughts running around my head these days that it's hard to focus on one. I also try to think of something positive to add so that someone who comes to this site searching for hopeful information about melanoma
- [Ineligible](https://tothemoonandback.net/ineligible/) - I just received a phone call from someone doing a survey for melanoma research. I apologize if the name of the research study escapes me, it was short phone call. The woman on the phone asked me if I had active melanoma and I replied that, as of my most recent scans, I showed no
- [15 Days](https://tothemoonandback.net/15-days/) - Lynn and I have been self-isolating for 15 days now. This means that we have not gone to the store, we have not visited friends or family, we have not had friends and family visit us, we have not gotten together with anyone in public places. The closest we have come to in-person human contact
- [Now, I'm afraid](https://tothemoonandback.net/now-im-afraid/) - It's March 18, 2020 and the U.S. is now in the beginning stages of the COVID-19 global epidemic (or pandemic). For most Americans, the biggest worry is getting toilet paper, but for some the pandemic has already taken their lives or the lives of their loved ones. If it hasn't gotten real for most other
- [Notes from a lock-down](https://tothemoonandback.net/notes-from-a-lock-down/) - I'm not so worried about melanoma or diabetes these days. My new worry is COVID-19. Lynn and I are in lock-down. Ten days ago, I bought a bunch of groceries, or at least as much as I could given the limited stock of many items on the store shelves. We figure that we have about
- [I still don't have melanoma](https://tothemoonandback.net/i-still-dont-have-melanoma/) - I was going to title this post "I still don't have melanoma ... or a job," but I decided to focus here on the positive, at least to start. Health-wise, not much has happened since January. My last scans were clear and I am now on a schedule of having my scans every four months
- [A bump in the road](https://tothemoonandback.net/a-bump-in-the-road/) - Last Friday, I experienced what Lynn told me was "a bump in the road." This particular bump took the form of me getting laid off from my job. I got the call on Friday (I was working from home because I had a service guy coming to the house). In this phone call, they told
- [2020 Vision](https://tothemoonandback.net/2020-vision/) - It has been about two months since my last blog post. Since then, Thanksgiving and Christmas have come and gone and a new year is upon us. Not much to report on the melanoma, or even diabetes, fronts. I have my quarterly scans next month and, if all goes well, my scans after that will
- [Another anniversary](https://tothemoonandback.net/another-anniversary/) - I haven't posted here in a while, not since September. I haven't had much melanoma news to share. I have scans scheduled for this month and am seeing my oncologist to discuss the results. I have no reason to believe that they won't be good. I feel good, although the diabetes continues to be a
- [Best Present Ever](https://tothemoonandback.net/best-present-ever/) - This post is a little late in coming, but I celebrated another birthday this month. So that’s now two birthdays I have celebrated since my stage IV diagnosis last year. I wasn’t sure if I would make it to last … Continue reading →
- [More boring good news](https://tothemoonandback.net/more-boring-good-news/) - We got the results of my scans yesterday and the report was as good as could be hoped for. My scans continue to show No Active Disease. My oncologist also said that he has a high level of confidence that […]
- [One Year Later](https://tothemoonandback.net/one-year-later/) - I wanted to post something on the anniversary of Rich’s stage IV melanoma diagnosis. I’m not sure why. Maybe because I thought it would be good to post something about the changes and things that have happened over the past year but I’ve found this to be quite a difficult thing to write about. Every
- [Zoom, zoom!](https://tothemoonandback.net/zoom-zoom/) - I wrote in an earlier post about recently fulfilling an almost lifetime dream of owning a two-seat convertible sports car. In its current iteration, this dream manifested itself in a charcoal grey mica Mazda Miata. I've had it for almost two month now, but haven't driven it a lot, relegating it to weekend driving when
- [Keeping on the sunny side](https://tothemoonandback.net/keeping-on-the-sunny-side/)
- [Vacation is over](https://tothemoonandback.net/vacation-is-over/) - Note: In my last blog post I promised to talk about things I've been doing during my June respite from medical appointments. I hope to get to that in my next post, but first I want to talk about some things that are on my mind as my one-year anniversary of diagnosis approaches. In a
- [Kicking my "Bucket List", part two.](https://tothemoonandback.net/kicking-my-bucket-list-part-two/) - Since my last post, Kicking my "Bucket List," I remembered another reason why I'm not a big fan of bucket lists. I had meant to include it in that post, but I forgot, so think of this post as an addendum to that post. People don't always do what you expect them to do. In
- [Kicking my "Bucket List"](https://tothemoonandback.net/kicking-my-bucket-list/) - Way back when, back when I was diagnosed as Stage IV, back in the once-upon-a-time of the summer of 2018, some people suggested that I might want to spend my remaining time checking off items from my bucket list. I didn't take these suggestions well at the time because: 1. I always thought the concept
- [Another Side of Rich](https://tothemoonandback.net/another-side-of-rich/) - It’s been almost a month since Rich had his pet scan and was told that they didn’t see any active melanoma. His diabetes is still a major challenge and he’s frequently frustrated with that but he’s feeling pretty good. I am starting to feel more like my old self and find that I’m looking forward
- [In the news](https://tothemoonandback.net/in-the-news/) - I was contacted recently by a science journalist who was doing a story on new research that is being funded to study the incidence of type 1 diabetes as a side effect of checkpoint inhibitors (immunotherapy drugs such as Opdivo). He wanted to interview me because I was one of the lucky 0.9 per cent
- [From Limbo to Light](https://tothemoonandback.net/from-limbo-to-light/) - Oh my gosh, I cannot believe what a difference a day makes. Rich had his scans last Monday and on Tuesday we found out that he doesn’t have any active cancer. The last thing that the doctor said was “have a great summer.” I hadn’t even been thinking about the summer. Getting through one day
- [My upcoming June vacation](https://tothemoonandback.net/my-upcoming-june-vacation/) - Last Friday, I had my annual eye exam with my ophthalmologist. The results were that my vision hasn't changed much since my last exam (I don't need a new prescription), my cataracts are about the same (I should think about cataract surgery, but it's not yet critical), and, while the vision in my left eye
- [Good news travels slow](https://tothemoonandback.net/good-news-travels-slow/) - Melanoma: ambivalent about good news
- [Playing my hand](https://tothemoonandback.net/playing-my-hand/) - Melanoma: thoughts about worrying and acceptance.
- [Bad attitude](https://tothemoonandback.net/bad-attitude/) - Melanoma: thoughts about attitudes
- [A fall goeth before my pride](https://tothemoonandback.net/a-fall-goeth-before-my-pride/) - Melanoma: falling
- [Discoordinated care](https://tothemoonandback.net/discoordinated-care/) - Melanoma: frustration with the care team
- [Stop the Ride. We Wanna Get Off!](https://tothemoonandback.net/stop-the-ride-we-wanna-get-off/) - Melanoma: thoughts about scary things
- [That sinking feeling](https://tothemoonandback.net/that-sinking-feeling/) - Melanoma: thoughts about being taken off treatment
- [Why Ask Why](https://tothemoonandback.net/why-ask-why/) - Melanoma: Why Ask Why
- [A Man of Courage](https://tothemoonandback.net/a-man-of-courage/) - Melanoma: the caregiver's appreciation of the patient's courage.
- [Genuine Empathy](https://tothemoonandback.net/242-2/) - Melanoma: thoughts about caring
- [Prednisolone, diabetes, and more crap](https://tothemoonandback.net/prednisolone-diabetes-and-more-crap/) - Melanoma: complications with diabetes, steroids, and diarrhea
- [A shitty week](https://tothemoonandback.net/a-shitty-week/) - Melanoma: poop and other bullshit
- [Birds of a feather](https://tothemoonandback.net/birds-of-a-feather/) - Melanoma: Embracing chickens
- [Support](https://tothemoonandback.net/support/) - Melanoma: support group meeting
- [A profile of courage](https://tothemoonandback.net/a-profile-of-courage/) - Melanoma: the patient's thoughts about courage
- [The cost of living](https://tothemoonandback.net/the-cost-of-living/) - Melanoma: thought about the dollar cost of treatment
- [Wake-up Call](https://tothemoonandback.net/wake-up-call/) - Melanoma: thoughs about the priorities
- [Just Listen](https://tothemoonandback.net/just-listen/) - Melanoma: thoughts about caring
- [Just ask](https://tothemoonandback.net/just-ask/) - Melanoma: thoughts about honesty
- [Stage IV Cancer & Type 1 Diabetes](https://tothemoonandback.net/stage-iv-cancer-type-1-diabetes/) - Melanoma: thoughts about having cancer and diabetes from the caregiver's perspective.
- [Aging gratefully](https://tothemoonandback.net/aging-gratefully/) - Melanoma: thoughts about aging in the context of having cancer from the patient's perspective
- [Learning to accept good news](https://tothemoonandback.net/learning-to-accept-good-news/) - Melanoma: thoughts about stable disease and ending treatment from patient's perspective
- [Waiting and worrying](https://tothemoonandback.net/waiting-and-worrying/) - Melanoma: uncertainty and scanxiety from patient's perspective
- [Two Stories, One Journey](https://tothemoonandback.net/two-stories-one-journey/) - Melanoma: thoughts on the journey from wife's perspective.
- [Aches and Pains - to call or not to call](https://tothemoonandback.net/aches-and-pains-to-call-or-not-to-call/) - Melanoma: when to call about side effects
- [Changing gift horses](https://tothemoonandback.net/changing-gift-horses/) - Melanoma: changing treatment centers from patient's perspective
- [Treatment Closer to Home](https://tothemoonandback.net/treatment-closer-to-home/) - Melanoma: changing treatment centers from wife's perspective
- [Unloading](https://tothemoonandback.net/unloading/) - Melanoma: dealing with one potential side effect of treatment
- [Caregiver Label](https://tothemoonandback.net/caregiver-label/) - Melanoma: thoughts about the term caregiver from the wife's perspective
- [Living in the Gap](https://tothemoonandback.net/living-in-the-gap/) - Melanoma: thoughts about dealing with uncertainty
- [The wings of love](https://tothemoonandback.net/the-wings-of-love/) - Melanoma: thoughts about the term caregiver from the patient's perspective

## Pages

- [About Us](https://tothemoonandback.net/about-us/) - Melanoma: about the bloggers
- [A Note About the Title](https://tothemoonandback.net/a-note-about-the-title/) - Melanoma: a note about the title of this blog

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://tothemoonandback.net/category/uncategorized/)

## Tags

- [melanoma](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/melanoma/)
- [caregiver](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/caregiver/)
- [diabetes](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/diabetes/)
- [courage](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/courage/)
- [chickens](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/chickens/)
- [diarrhea](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/diarrhea/)
- [colitis](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/colitis/)
- [attitude](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/attitude/)
- [gratitude](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/gratitude/)
- [miata](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/miata/)
- [resolution](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/resolution/)
- [fitness](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/fitness/)
- [insurance](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/insurance/)
- [unemployment](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/unemployment/)
- [coronavirus](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/coronavirus/)
- [COVID-19](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/covid-19/)
- [pandemic](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/pandemic/)
- [celebrate](https://tothemoonandback.net/tag/celebrate/)