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.

Saturday, September 13, 2025 – Adventure time

21 Sep 2025 1 Comment

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

The Sandias are beautiful, and today was stunning. A cold front was working its way in, and clouds hung low across the Sandia Crest. Van and I did some studying at a local coffee shop, only to get word that the storm had arrived.

We thought is wise to head home, but realized we were right in the heart of it. The rain in Albuquerque is different from what I’ve experienced in Colorado. It seems as if the drops hold more water here. From the coffee shop to the car was enough time to get soaked.

Once back home, it was clear Jadan was still feeling sick from treatment. However, this week’s robot shot went as planned, which was a relief.

Later in the evening, I called Jadan’s doctor to give an update on his nausea. Jadan had been sick since the end of Friday’s treatment—actually, he had not been well all week. The doctor sent us to the ER for fluids and anti-nausea meds. Once there, they took blood and set up into a private room due to being immunocompromised. It took a little while to get settled, but once we did, I felt grateful.

It seemed like a long time before he got his meds – in that time, he got sicker. His body was not able to stop the cycle of vomiting even though he hadn’t eaten.

Finally, as medications were administered, his body was able to relax and rest. We were in the ER from 9 pm – 1 am. As we left, he still felt a little nausea but once home, was able to sleep until the next morning. On Sunday, he was better but very fatigued. He spent the day resting and starting on bland foods.

The hospital staff were very kind and took great care of Jadan. Once again, I am extremely grateful for all the medical support. Knowing that we have great care, and all the love and support from family and friends, inspires us to persevere. One of the photos my dad sent Jadan is a perfect example of inspiration. Jadan was 3 years old in this photo. He loved his hat and his cowboy boots. Yes, he is wearing his boots in these photos, but besides his hat, that was it.

Today’s prayer is for children – one of the kids’ favorites when they were little.

O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star.  Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Round 3: Day #5: Friday, September 12, 2025 – “Don’t let go of the burritos!”

21 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

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

The last day of chemotherapy for the third session went okay. Jadan still felt nauseous but managed to eat a couple of breakfast burritos from McDonald’s. And what would life be like without hot picante sauce?

When it comes to food, if he wants it, we get it. We are never sure if something will work, especially since feeling sick has been so difficult this week.

It was exciting to reach the last day of treatment for round three. Knowing that he has two weeks off to recover and only one more week left – 5 DAYS! – is a relief. He’s got this!!!

From the start of coming to treatment, we noticed the office decor. There are flying pigs everywhere. We finally asked Amanda at the front desk about the meaning behind “when pigs fly!” She said all the pig art has been there for years—it was there when she started working. She also said that the patients absolutely love it. When patients come in, they laugh and remind her never to change it. I guess the pig art will change “when pigs fly!”.

Prayer for the last day of chemo:

O God, my God!  Fill up for me the cup of detachment from all things, and in the assembly of Thy splendors and bestowals, rejoice me with the wine of loving Thee.  Free me from the assaults of passion and desire, break off from me the shackles of this nether world, draw me with rapture unto Thy supernal realm, and refresh me amongst the handmaids with the breathing of Thy holiness.

O Lord, brighten Thou my face with the lights of Thy bestowals, light Thou mine eyes with beholding the signs of Thine all-subduing might; delight my heart with the glory of Thy knowledge that encompasseth all things, gladden Thou my soul with Thy soul-reviving tidings of great joy, O Thou King of this world and the Kingdom above, O Thou Lord of dominion and might, that I may spread abroad Thy signs and tokens, and proclaim Thy Cause, and promote Thy teachings, and serve Thy Law and exalt Thy Word.

Thou art, verily, the Powerful, the Ever-Giving, the Able, the Omnipotent.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Round #3: Day 4: Thursday, September 11 – “In the fire…”

16 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

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

Deciding to change out the port dressings after each treatment has helped. Jadan still has difficulty with the chemo smell, but it has lessened with the bandage removed daily. It is interesting how the smell can immediately trigger nausea. He can even taste the saline when his port is flushed at the beginning and end of the daily infusions. The powers of the human body is fantastic.

One of his nurses shared how some of her past patients associate nausea with seeing her. The association is powerful. I love how his nurses are always exploring ways to help him in any way they can. We are grateful for their constant creative approaches to solving these issues. I can’t imagine not having the care and support of his care team.

Jadan moved through Thursday with his nausea and a growing feeling of relief knowing that he is getting close to the end of his chemotherapy. After every session, I watch the nurses gather all the medication bags from the stand. It is a daily reminder that Jadan’s body is enduring not one side effect of the chemo, but many, including fatigue, nausea, hair loss, potential hearing damage/loss, and a compromised immune system, all at once. His strength is awe-inspiring.

The stress of Jadan suffering from nausea this week has taken its toll on all of us. A deep feeling of exhaustion has set in, and it’s been difficult to concentrate on school and life. The day ended with a brief outing to Green Jeans Food Hall, one of my favorite spots to get crispy veggie tacos with green chili and lime. It is also a time to sit outside and appreciate the beauty of Albuquerque and prepare for Friday’s last day of this week’s chemo treatment.

Prayer-inspired art for Day 4: The Fire Tablet by Bahá’u’lláh, revealed in 1871, in the prison-city of ‘Akká, Israel.

Monday, September 8, 2025: Round 3: Day 1 -“Patience is a virtue”

10 Sep 2025 Leave a comment

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

Monday’s treatment began as usual. However, smells continue to negatively affect Jadan…more so during the beginning of treatment. His solution is to hold his breath as the nurse cleans, flushes, and accesses his port. The good news is…he is over halfway through his chemotherapy treatment. Also, Jadan’s doctor stopped by to share how pleased he was with Jadan’s progress and his recent lab results. Overall, he is doing very well.

I felt anxious over the weekend, as did Jadan. We know that from this point on, there is more nausea, fatigue, and overall challenge of feeling horrible. Words cannot fully express how difficult it is to watch a loved one suffer. I am deeply grateful to all who continue to share prayers and support Jadan. Knowing he is loved by so many helps manage feelings of being powerless to make him better.

Earlier this week, I learned that Eileen (Nana), Jadan’s Grandmother, was beginning her pilgrimage to Medjugorje, a sacred and blessed spot in Bosnia Herzegovina. Her first day was a big feast day in celebrating the Birthday of the Blessed Mohter. It was lovely to see photos and know that she is asking Our Lady to intercede with her Son for successful treatment and Jadan’s full recovery. Thank you, Nana! We are grateful for your prayers and love!

In 2023, our family went on Catholic Pilgrimage in Israel together. Father Leon took wonderful care of our group. One of the many highlights was visiting a Franscisan monastery build by Crusaders. It was there we found the most delicious honey collected and crafted by the monks themselves.

I was curious if our little soul gardener was still keeping watch – and happily, it was still there! Reflecting back on our first week of treatment feels like a very long time ago. It’s amazing how much change we’ve experienced in such short time. Again, another opportunity to be grateful for the support from family and friends. One of the postivites of returning to treatment was seeing the nursing staff. They continue to provide excellent care for Jadan. Another reason to be grateful.

Chemo ART DAY 1: Today’s art is dedicated to appreciation and gratitude for patience during times of tests and difficulty.

The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials.

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Round #2 Chemo: Day 1 “Any pain today?”

19 Aug 2025 1 Comment

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

Over the last week, Jadan’s strength returned, and his overall well-being improved. In preparation for the upcoming semester, we shopped at the UNM Bookstore and had lunch across the street at Frontier Restaurant. This started today, the same day we went back to chemo.

Once again, Subi was confused about why she couldn’t join us as we exited the car during drop-off. As she spent the day with Kevin, Jadan got settled into his chemo station as the nurse flushed the port and inserted the Huber needle, the needle that feeds medication into Jadan. Happily, Jadan remembered to apply his numbing cream to the skin over the port. There was no pain as the needle was inserted.

Going into the second chemo session, we figured he was at 95% and was ready to do whatever was needed to fully recover. On Monday, August 18, the nurse asked, “Any pain today?” and Jadan replied, “Nope. No pain at all.”

The usual routine followed: saline, anti-nausea meds, and the two cancer-killing drugs, etoposide and cisplatin. We continue to monitor his hearing to avoid side effects of hearing loss from the cisplatin. I am happy to report that no changes have occurred. It was also time to visit the cafeteria. Jadan continues to enjoy hashbrowns with salt during his treatments, especially when getting his steroid meds. The key is to get breakfast snacks before the cafeteria closes at 10 a.m. for an hour as they prep for lunch.

The remainder of Round #2: Day 1 of chemo went by fast. Jadan was finished by 1 p.m. with no unwanted issues. Once home, he started to feel the effects of the chemo: nausea, shakiness, and fatigue, which lasted the afternoon. It was challenging to find food that he was able to eat. Some of his cravings were tomatoes, miso, and sushi, which he enjoyed.

I was pleased to see he was feeling well enough to meet Subi and me at the park. The skies were filled with dynamic, moody clouds. Experiencing Albuquerque is like living in a beautifully created artwork. We were grateful for the cooler temperature and welcomed the possibility of rain.

Round #2: Day 1 Art: Prayer for Healing

Thy name is my healing, O my God, and remembrance of Thee is my remedy.  Nearness to Thee is my hope, and love for Thee is my companion.  Thy mercy to me is my healing and my succor in both this world and the world to come.  Thou, verily, art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Baháʼu’lláh