Good Friday morning.


It's MRI-Friday. So we're off to Bennington at 9:30, hospital by 10:30, MRI @ 11.  Then Shabbos.  Then Ida comes to retrieve her lovely dogs.  The MRI Results Show is scheduled for August 11th in the afternoon here in Manchester.  And next week:  New Hampshire!  Shabbat Shalom!

Good Monday morning.


Went to the internist this morning for rashy developments following week of chemo.  Nice guy.  


Now home.  Day off.  Going to rest today and try to get a few things done.


We saw Avenue Q in Weston yesterday.  If you're in Vermont, do yourself a favor and see it before it closes on the 31st.  


Enjoy the cooler weather--I know that I am.

Good evening.  This round of chemo is more grueling in the past in that it makes me feel more tired.  I spend almost all of the day at home, resting.  Fortunately there are only two more nights of this and then I can begin to recover.  I wish I didn't have to take this chemo (or the radiation, or the surgery), but I am grateful to be alive.  I wish that this could all progress more quickly, but it has an agenda of its own. 


The next MRI is scheduled for the last Friday in July.  I won't know anything until the second week of August.  That's okay.  I just want to take the MRI and feel better from this *$*%(*Y# chemo.  Suffice to say it is a drug designed to kill cancer cells.  While your body is under attack from the drug, the other cells are doing what they must to stay alive.  


In Hebrew it is "Gam zeh yavo"--this too shall pass.  I'm looking forward to it. 

Good Monday morning.


After a vibrant family day here at the homestead it was back on to the chemo meds last night.  Ugh.  I slept well, though.  Perhaps it is going to be a challenging week.  I don't know if I feel the way I do this morning because of the amount of expended activity yesterday or because of the drugs or probably both.  Whatever the case I'm taking it easy until tonight.  

Good Thursday morning.  Off to acupuncture in a few minutes.  Met with the surgeon in Albany and his "team" yesterday.  We're at the point in the recovery process that the only information that is useful to them is the MRI results.  My three-month MRI should come around the beginning of August.  I called Dr. Howard yesterday and left word that an MRI needs to be pre-approved and scheduled in Bennington.  After my visit with Dr. Adamo (who I understand just had another baby to add to his family of his wife and other child) I had lunch with Allison Goodell, one of the special nurses that I met while I was in Albany Med.  So strange going up to the old ward and visiting, but that's what I still do to hug all of my nurses.  As I like to say, I loved where I was and who I was with, but you can keep the other patients.  In a ward of six people, the other five can be placed elsewhere, thankyouverymuch.  

Good Sunday Morning,


Off to the oncologist tomorrow. . .for one of my periodic check-ins.  Chemo will start again next Sunday night (a week from today).  Just finished a Ritual Committee meeting here at the shul.  Been a very busy weekend--and now I'm going to take the dogs out for a walk.  Yes, Poppy and Pansy are back and loving their time with us and we are loving being with them.  

Thursday afternoon

Hi everyone.  It is an awfully hot week here in Vermont.  Today I was at the internist.  Did the check-up thing.  Monday I'll be with the medical oncologist in Bennington, and then I have a meeting with the surgeon in Albany.  Between that I'm meeting with our congregation's new education director, having lunch with someone who is also a survivor from the Susan Komen foundation on Friday, doing services on Friday night and Saturday, receiving Ida's dogs around noon on Saturday, and Ritual Committee on Sunday.  Other than that, mellow times around here.

Most importantly I'm feeling fine.  Not sleeping as much and pacing myself is important.  I am looking forward to each and every day!

If you want to send me comments, please do so at either davidnovak@mac.com or david.novak@gmail.com.

I love hearing from you!

Hi, It's Tuesday.


I'm alive and well and in the air conditioning.


Very full weekend:  Friday night a patriotic service, Shabbat morning davening where we spoke about people drawing close to God and God drawing close to people; a BBQ in the evening at congregants, and the shul's BBQ on Sunday.  Monday I brought someone in my household to the dentist--then in the evening we went out to our friend's place in Jamaica, VT.  Then home to the hot oven of a house. And now in my lovely office.


Great seeing Julie and Ami and Shawn and Tom and Noam and of course Ezra.


Busy!  Now about this work thing. . .