Day 3 of Last Week: Wednesday, October 1, 2025: “Surrounded by Beauty”

02 Oct 2025 Leave a comment

by lanikamal in Jadan's Cancer Journey Tags: , , , , , ,

Fall in Albuquerque is stunning. The previous owners of our home planted a large portion of the yard with Maximilian Sunflowers, which have exploded with beauty. I’ve been going outside every day after returning from Jadan’s treatment. I am captivated by the vibrant colors, their movement in the breeze, and all the life that can be found on the flowers. Immersing myself in beauty helps me navigate the feelings and emotions of Jadan’s cancer journey, as well as help me grieve the loss of Laurie. Seeing flowers bloom and the shimmering sunlight between the flowers and leaves in the trees inspires hope and purpose.

Day 3 started better than the first two days of Jadan’s treatment week. We were a little slow getting ready due to fatigue, but his nausea felt more under control. Jadan has been doing a great job taking his anti-nausea meds before treatment. This seems helpful, along with additional approaches to help with the side effects of the chemo meds.

FUN FACT: On a side note, the kids saw the new Superman movie a few months ago. I heard them talking on and off about it, but didn’t pay too much attention. It wasn’t until I saw it that I realized what they were saying. Evidently, Jadan could be the doppleganger for the Lex Luther character. All Jadan needs is a black coat, and he is all set for Halloween.

We are looking forward to being able to see family more often once treatment is over. It will also be exciting to have family and friends visit.

Wrapping up day 3 was a little rough due to nausea. The highlight was when Subi welcomed Jadan with puppy kisses. She loves going on car rides, especially when they involve picking up the kids.

Jadan has successfully completed day 3 of his last week of chemo. We are getting very excited to complete this treatment and move forward in life.

Day 3 Art is inspired by beauty:

“How wondrous is the unity of the Living, the Ever-Abiding God — a unity which is exalted above all limitations, that transcendeth the comprehension of all created things! He hath, from everlasting, dwelt in His inaccessible habitation of holiness and glory, and will unto everlasting continue to be enthroned upon the heights of His independent sovereignty and grandeur. How lofty hath been His incorruptible Essence, how completely independent of the knowledge of all created things, and how immensely exalted will it remain above the praise of all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth!

From the exalted source, and out of the essence of His favor and bounty He hath entrusted every created thing with a sign of His knowledge, so that none of His creatures may be deprived of its share in expressing, each according to its capacity and rank, this knowledge. This sign is the mirror of His beauty in the world of creation.“

Baha’u’llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah, p. 261.

September 2, 2025: The power of love…

02 Sep 2025 1 Comment

by lanikamal in Jadan's Cancer Journey Tags: , , , , , ,

New Mexico sky where living in art is real.

We have begun the second week of taking a break from chemo treatment. Monday, September 8th, will be the first day of Jadan’s third round of chemotherapy. As Jadan progresses through treatment, he has experienced an increase in fatigue and nausea. Managing both can be challenging at times. He continues to immerse his soul in playing guitar and piano. I am instantly filled with gratitude when the house is filled with Jadan’s piano music, especially in the mornings.

Jadan has also been deep diving into his courses: Physics 3, Differential Equations, and piano. His instructors remain available outside regular class time to help accommodate Jadan’s immunocompromised health. When Jadan attends lectures with professors, he wears a mask. Kevin and Jadan often work on problems together at the dining table. I also benefit from Jadan’s learning by being taught formulas and equations that explain reality in space and time. Truly a gift!

Handcrafted bear in turquoise and silver. It symbolizes protection, courage and strength and serves as a spiritual guide.The bear’s qualities are reflected in the Heartline, which illustrates the life force and inner strength of a warrior’s heart.

In a time when so much is unknown about Jadan’s health and the future, one truth infuses us with strength of purpose—the power of love. Love has taken the form of prayers, emails, letters, thoughtful packages, cookies, time with family and visits from friends, bringing soft, cuddly reminders of friendship. Words fall short in expressing how grateful we all are for the continued love and support. The love expressed by family and friends reminds Jadan (all of us) that we are not alone. One of the side of effects of grief and experiencing any form of loss is feeling alone. Symbols, signs and tokens of love give us hope, courage and serve as reminders to persevere in times of tests and difficulties.

Cookies from a dear and precious family.
Anya appreciating beauty in nature.
Jordan and Evelyn bringing tokens of love.
August 30, 2024 – Celebrating last day of radiation treatment.

Being immersed in the power of love reminds me of Laurie and her steadfast courage during her 30 days of radiation treatment. One year ago from August 30th – last Saturday – we surprised her with the biggest balloon we could find. I remember hiding outside, waiting for her and Dave to come out. Several passerbys were hoping they were the recipients of the giant rose balloon and flowers. It is hard to believe so much as changed in such little time. It feels like we lived a lifetime in a year.

Art inspired by love, beauty and knowledge found in nature:

Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise.— Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh, Lawh-i-Hikmat

Round #2: Days 2 & 3 “Have fun stormin’ the castle”

21 Aug 2025 Leave a comment

by lanikamal in Jadan's Cancer Journey Tags: , , , , ,

As Kevin dropped us off for Day 2 of Chemo Round #2, we heard, “Have fun stormin’ the castle“, before Subi drove away. If you didn’t recognize that line, it is from the classic movie, The Princess Bride. It seemed to work well since St. Joseph’s Square looks very castle-like.

Check-in for treatment went quickly, and Jadan began his day with flushing the port and a saline drip. One bit of good news we forgot to share was that his LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) blood work levels went down to 170. This level is now sitting in the middle of the normal range. Jadan’s first blood test showed his LDH was over 700. It is helpful to know the LDH level because it “is proportional to the mass of tumor cells” (Zaher, p.143). While important, it is not the only way to identify the tumor burden. Overall, it was exciting to see his LDH move to a more normal range.

Since school started, Jadan has spent time familiarizing himself with courses and studying. However, he was still feeling slightly nauseous. The nurse reminded him to take one of the meds that prevents nausea every six hours to stay ahead of it. Once he felt better, it was time to eat and have a foot massage.

At one point, I stepped outside to pick up food for Jadan. I remembered I had left a soulgardener in a tree at the front of the building during our first week of chemo, and I was pleased to see it was still there. I am eager to see if it has found a permanent home. On our last day of chemo during the first week, we handed out tokens of appreciation to our nurses, which included soulgardeners. We are so grateful for the care team staff, especially the nurses who are responsible for the well-being of their patients. They are beautiful and true examples of Soulgardeners – those who tend to the care and well-being of others.

We had the pleasure of spending time with Dave and Anya on Tuesday evening. After resting, Jadan was able to hang out and play Go with Anya. Both are highly skilled at that game, even though they haven’t played much. It’s been difficult to be away from family during chemo and recovery weeks. The dinner choice was sushi and miso soup from Shogun, another fantastic Albuquerque restaurant. This was also the place Anya picked to celebrate her birthday last December.

I remember it like yesterday. Laurie ordered the veggie tempura roll, which was new to me but has become one of my favorites, and Anya ordered her cucumber sushi roll and miso soup. Of course, she enjoyed opening her birthday gifts.

I am grateful for all the time we spent together. Too precious.

It is amazing how fast time passes, especially during treatment days. Day 3 started out very similarly to the previous days, except Jadan was still nauseous and tired this morning. Once at treatment, the med infusions go by quickly, especially when there is studying to do.

Chemo and Vanny’s classes started at 9 a.m. It worked well to drop Van off for school and then head to St. Joseph’s. And, of course, Subi was thrilled to ride in front with Jadan.

As Day 3 of chemo came to a close, and to avoid the unfavorable smell, Jadan sniffed his lavender oil. We were out a little early today, giving Jadan time to rest before heading to UNM. One of Jadan’s professors offered one-on-one time to review class lectures. He is committed to helping Jadan succeed in learning during his cancer journey. Jadan will meet with him weekly in a safe environment.

What an extraordinary educator!!!!

Next week I’ll bring homemade chocolate banana bread. For those of you who have had some, you know how yummy it is. I am grateful that Jadan has so many people who support and care for him. Thank you!!!

Days 2 & 3 Art inspired by Beauty of Nature

I had the gift of observing a new behavior in a local hummingbird. I believe this is a female Anna’s hummingbird. As she was feeding on the flowers, she started rubbing her head all over, inside and outside the flower. It was beautiful and fascinating!

Prayer for Aid and Assistance:

O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose habitation is my goal, Whose praise is my hope, Whose providence is my companion, Whose love is the cause of my being, Whose mention is my solace, Whose nearness is my desire, Whose presence is my dearest wish and highest aspiration, I entreat Thee not to withhold from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy servants. Supply me, then, with the good of this world and of the next.

Thou, truly, art the King of all men. There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

Bahá’u’lláh