I’m formally altering the identify of those updates from “Most cancers replace” to “Life replace.”
Why?
Effectively, it’s extra ahead pondering, I’m not giving most cancers the highlight anymore, and since my final scan confirmed NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE!!!!!
You heard that proper, I don’t have any energetic most cancers in the meanwhile!
Lets take a second to really feel it.
This information is nearly as sudden of a change because it was to get the prognosis seven lengthy months in the past; I’ve wanted a beat to course of all of it. However on the identical time issues haven’t modified all that a lot. I nonetheless have the tumors (no less than a few of them), though now they’re plenty of useless cells that my physique will finally course of and present them the exit.
I nonetheless have ache and stiffness. In reality wasn’t anticipating to have a transparent scan as a result of I nonetheless have fairly a little bit of soreness and ache in my ribs. My neck and shoulders get extremely sore after an extended stroll…Kirk and I walked 4.5 miles on a path the opposite day and I used to be locked up for the remainder of the afternoon.
However it’s not most cancers. I’ll now be therapeutic from accidents that have been brought on by the most cancers.
I don’t have most cancers! Proper now…
That’s the opposite sobering factor a couple of NED “no proof of illness” results of a PET scan, there may be all the time the prospect of recurrence. 🙁 A fairly good probability in actual fact. So in a means, that is when the actual arduous work begins! Eat proper, train, keep constructive, and dwell as arduous as I can.
I’ve had just a few mates this week ship me tidbits from Andrea Gibson, a widely known poet who simply handed away from ovarian most cancers. Their phrases are stunning, and it’s additionally heartbreaking as a result of they’d a recurrence of most cancers a yr after the unique prognosis. So, I’ve received to drag out all of the stops to maintain this physique’s immune system up so there isn’t any cozy place for the most cancers to take root once more.
In reality, I realized that the PET scan, whereas it detects energetic most cancers within the physique, can’t detect the smallest tumors below a centimeter. A PET scan makes use of radioactive sugar to make a map of how a lot power the cells and organs of the physique are utilizing; the thought being that most cancers will use extra power and subsequently be picked up on a PET scan. So, 24 hours earlier than my scan, I needed to keep away from any strenuous exercise and abstain from sugar. I fasted six hours earlier than the check, and after I arrived, was injected with the radioactive sugar and napped for 45 minutes whereas my physique absorbed the stuff…all of the locations the sugar was consumed would present up within the scan.
And none of my tumors ate the sugar which suggests they aren’t energetic most cancers tumors anymore, simply useless cells.
Hooray!
I preserve coming again to the truth that I’ll by no means be cured from this most cancers. There’ll by no means be a guarentee that I gained’t get it once more. If I could make it 5 years my probabilities of not getting it once more will likely be higher, however that’s a LONG TIME! When it spreads the way in which it did in my physique, its tentacles are deep. We we don’t get cured.
My white blood cells and platlets are additionally nonetheless actually low. That may be a facet impact from the Tegresso, my focused most cancers med (which I’ll be taking for the remainder of my life), so my oncologist can have me take month-to-month labs to observe that. Low white blood cells imply I can’t combat infections very nicely, so I’ve been informed to take precautions there. I’ll additionally have to get scans each 3-4 months, and I’m beginning a bone-strengthing IV quickly as a result of the quite a few lesions on my bones means they’re a fracture threat…and I’m virtually 50, so osteoporosis is a knocking!
So it’s with blended emotions that I share this information with you. It’s good, it’s nice in actual fact! However I nonetheless have a lot to do, and there gained’t most likely ever be a “return to regular.” It’s going to be discovering my new regular…and that modifications on a regular basis as I attempt to get stronger and recuperate a few of the muscle loss.
I’ll go away you at this time with this morning dance occasion I went to just lately. It was the primary time I had danced in virtually a yr. It’s positively time to bop.
