From The Second Coming by Yeats -  
    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
    The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The cancer seems to have backed off a bit but we're not so innocent to think that it has stopped. Slowed down or gone into remission? We don't know and won't know until the next PET scan which we'll schedule after the next full round of chemo.
We're optimistic that things are holding for the time being which gives Karen's body a chance to recover some strength.
It's certainly bent her, compressed vertebrae and  even broken her bones but it hasn't defeated her spirit. She fights the decline with her physical therapy, nutrition and plans for the future. 
Our oncologist, Dr. Levy, always makes a point of asking what activities we have planned; wanting us to accomplish all that we can. Last Thursday Karen said she'd like a trip to Scotland but bucket lists are sometimes wishful thinking. We made do with a day trip to the New Britain Museum of American Art. One step at a time; last month she was in her wheelchair, still nursing broken hip sockets. Now she's back to using canes.
Scotland? She amazes and surprises me everyday..... who knows???
The buttons continue to come in....from near and far....so many people sending healing thoughts....It's helping....Thank you everyone!

Photo: From Nancy and Walter Squier - A blanket with a button flower border, a bouquet and candy!

Usually I've been keeping friends and family updated and writing this blog to that end as well. It's all about conserving Karen's energy because even responding to email and text can be taxing.
Especially since one of the side effects of the current chemo (that otherwise is doing remarkably well) is chemo brain.

Chemo brain is difficulty concentrating on a single task, Problems with short-term memory; forgetting details of recent events, fumbling for the right word or phrase and feeling mentally “slower” than usual.
Karen continues to surprise me and has begun making longer texts to friends who ask how she's doing.   This is one of her latest.

And when she's happy I'm happy!  The photo on this post is a shot of a shadow box Karen made at our latest art party. It's a swimmer...swimming through the stars.