Mission Log:

July 13, 2026

The countdown became real today.

One week from now, Pioneer reaches the destination I’ve been preparing for since this mission began. Tomorrow starts the next phase with my first injection, followed by Wednesday’s scan. The journey that once felt far away now fits inside a single week.

Surprisingly, I’m at peace with it.

One unexpected discovery has been how much I enjoy printing and scanning my handwritten journal instead of trying to dictate everything into technology. It takes a little longer, but the benefits are worth it. The handwriting is preserved, the OCR is much more accurate, and perhaps most importantly, anyone can read these pages, including my future self.

Sometimes the slower process turns out to be the better one.

Creatively, the day was a gift.

I’m deep into Chapter 30 of Paul’s Penance, and I caught myself smiling more than once while writing. That’s probably the best surprise of this entire season. Even with doctor’s appointments, dietary restrictions, and treatment approaching, the joy of storytelling hasn’t faded. If anything, it’s become stronger.

The weather finally shifted too.

After weeks of constantly feeling cold, summer decided to remind me it was still July. I joked that maybe everything would finally balance out. Even so, I know the chill is probably part of what my body is going through, along with the weight I’ve been steadily losing on the Low Iodine Diet.

Speaking of the diet…

I’ve officially reached my limit with multigrain oatmeal.

It’s not the oatmeal itself. It’s all the extra grains and seeds mixed into it. I finally admitted there probably isn’t enough maple syrup on the planet to make it taste any better. Rather than forcing myself to eat something I no longer enjoy, Jeff piloted today’s shuttle run to Dollar General where we picked up plain oatmeal and more frozen vegetables for the week ahead.

Mission accomplished.

The swelling in my legs has started to return a little, but not enough to concern me. For now, I’m keeping an eye on it and saving the furosemide unless it becomes absolutely necessary. Healing continues to require patience more than panic.

The day closed the same way it began.

Writing.

Chapter 30 moved forward.

Another Sol was completed.

And Pioneer moved one day closer to the launch that has been waiting at the end of this journey.

Only one week remains. 🚀