Today is a busy one. Susannah’s sister Lz and her husband B arrive from Canada. It feels like just yesterday since we last saw them. I cannot believe it’s been 5 years! How on earth did that happen? Oh, that’s right, there was a pandemic!

They settle in and we catch up. They’ve brought gifts! Lz has brought a dreamcatcher which I immediately hang in the bedroom plus a little mini one we will hang in the van, plus some cool maps. Lz & B’s son Ec and his wife Bt have also sent a gift including some lovely teas from their local area. They are wonderful gifts and I feel very loved.

My friend CW comes over so I leave Lz & B with Susannah and we go out to a local Japanese restaurant for lunch. I’m a bit naughty and eat sashimi even though I’m not supposed to. My immune system will likely tank soon so I think this is my last chance to eat raw fish. It’s so worth it. The tuna is good! I really enjoy my time with CW. It’s amazing that we’ve known each other since we were in Intermediate school. There was a large gap of maybe 10-15 years where we lost touch, so I’m really enjoying getting to know who she is now. So worth it. Today she brings me a wrap she has knitted. It’s beautiful and I am touched.

We are having such a good time that I almost forget about my Oncology appointment today. Reluctantly I head home and then Susannah and I go to North Shore hospital to see Dr Sk. This is my last public appointment so I pop into the Infusion Unit to let them know I have transferred to private care and to thank them for all they have done for me so far. The staff know I am Stage 4 so it’s a hard goodbye. We all make light of it as best we can. They are such lovely people.

The consultation with Dr Sk is fairly short – just a catch up on the new treatment so far. Dr Sk talks about options. We are still waiting for the PD-L1 test results which will tell me if I am a candidate to add Immunotherapy to my treatment. Keytruda, or Pembrolizumab, is a kind of treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to target the cancer. If I return a PD-L1 positive genetic test I will be eligible to try this treatment. The two major downsides are that the treatment is not funded in NZ so I would have to find around $80K to self-fund, and there is also not much research supporting effectivity of treatment with neuroendocrine differentiation. So a shot in the dark, maybe, but if I am eligible, I’ll give it a whirl.