Sandi kept fighting, even though her cancer diagnosis came so late — 2024 instead of 2020! Once diagnosed, she kept the treatments going right up until the end.

Lahey Hospital in Burlington MA completely botched her cancer diagnosis. She had what turned out to be a big fat uterine carcinoma, which they first saw on scans in 2020.

2020!!!

They did an MRI of it and concluded it was just a uterine fibroid — a supposedly benign fibroid — but turns out it wasn’t. Instead, it would eventually kill her.

And even if Lahey had gone to the trouble of biopsying the “benign” fibroid, the results probably would not have been conclusive. Lahey did NOT do well detecting cancer, even when they took biopsies of it directly from her uterus. “Oh, results inconclusive…” they would say, not willing to commit to a diagnosis.

Uterine biopsies (and bone biopsies) at Lahey were completely useless. And worse than useless, since they delayed treatment.

It’s difficult to tell what led to Lahey’s gross medical incompetence. Why they wouldn’t have started Sandi IMMEDIATELY on radiation therapy to stop uncontrolled bleeding from the uterus — especially when they already suspected Stage 4B cancer — is 100% beyond me.

So her cancer spread and worsened from 2020 until….

January 2024: pelvis MRI full of suspicious masses, but Lahey does nothing. CA 125 (cancer antigen) level in her blood was high — 71.7 — but Lahey decides to wait.

February 2024: Full-body PET CT, from skull to mid-thigh, shows all kinds of suspicious stuff; but Lahey won’t pull the trigger. Instead, useless bone biopsies — they’re just scheduling redundant tests to pad their budget and put off starting treatment.

Then Emerson Hospital in Concord MA on 29 Feb 2024: Mass. General Cancer Center at Emerson Hospital doctor orders radiation to begin treating Sandi’s cancer THE NEXT DAY.

About time.

Five consecutive days of radiation at Emerson. Symptoms are finally controlled, after Lahey did nothing — no treatment whatsoever — for FOUR MONTHS.

Three more days of radiation later in March.

March 26, 2024: chemotherapy port installed.

April 2nd first chemo appointment.

Groton Hill Music Center concert!

April 20 shave off hair.

April 26th second chemo appointment.

April 24 Ben Folds concert, The VETS, Lowell MA!

May 9th Sandi’s last trip to WICN in Worcester MA for live performances on The Folk Revival, hosted by Nick Noble!

May 13 third chemo appointment.

May 18th The 2024 New Hampshire Renaissance Faire!

A trip to Wells ME for a vacation with friends!

May 28 fourth chemo appointment.

May 31st an old friend brought fancy tea & all the fixin’s!

All this was interspersed with visits from friends, visits to Fancy That in Walpole MA, and whatever concerts & events we could find.

June 10th fifth chemo appointment.

June 17th sixth chemo appointment.

June 22nd Ben Folds VIP package & concert in Great Barrington, MA!

June 25 seventh chemo appointment.

July 4th party with friends!

July 5th fire pit party!

July 8 eighth chemo appointment.

July 11 breakfast with friends!

July 17th more radiation.

Spine MRIs.

July 13 lunch with friends in Lunenberg!

July 15th ninth & final chemo appointment.

Visits from friends.

July 20th House Concert at a friend’s.

July 22nd chemo CANCELED.

More visits from friends.

July 24th more radiation.

July 25th more radiation.

July 26th more radiation.

July 29th more radiation.

July 30th more radiation.

July 31st more radiation.

August 1st more radiation.

August 2nd more radiation.

August 5th more radiation.

August 6th more radiation.

August 7th more radiation.

August 8th more radiation.

August 9th more radiation.

August 12th chemo CANCELED

August 13th EKG & Echo

August 14th Fancy That!

August 17th FPC Jazz Band, 5pm Hudson Town Hall!

August 21st blood draw & rehydration infusion.

Visits from ministers.

Visits from distant friends.

Canceled a visit with friends. Canceled a Lake Boone event.

Oral medication Lenvima to supplement immunotherapy infusions.

September 13th 1st immunotherapy infusion.

Sandi had basically stopped eating regular food by the end of August, except for a spoonful of ice cream to take pills with, a few sips of Pedialyte and an occasional popsicle.

October 4th 2nd (and final) immunotherapy infusion.

October 18 the Tufts at-home Palliative care nurse came and quickly saw that only Hospice care was appropriate for Sandi at this point. She should have been getting Palliative care all this time, but stupid insurance was too cheap to check!

October 19 Hospice care officially started.

October 25th 3rd immunotherapy infusion — CANCELLED.

October 27th Sandi slid out of bed and required help from EMTs to get back in.

October 31st Samhain celebration with friends & ministers crowded around Sandi’s bed. Sandi was somewhat aware; this was her big pagan farewell.

November 6th Sandi was moved from her bed into the hospital-style bed in our kitchen, with the help of EMTs.

November 7th Sandi died, around 7:30 PM, after a day of help from minister Stephanie and then later from the Hospice nurse.