Enlightened By Cancer

March 18th 2009...The day I have anticipated. Results day. I go to work as usual. Still with every thought consumed by the results of my PET/CT. It's been nearly a year since my last chemo treatment. I'm still feeling the effects of chemo and side effects of my medications. One medication in particular, Arimidex. This is a hormone blocker. Since my tumor was hormone receptive for progesterone and estrogen, I was prescribed this medication to help protect me from recurrance. I have a lot of faith in that tiny white pill....

Rand goes with me to my appointment. I go back first to get my exam and then Rand meets me for the "reading of the results". Nervous, anticipating, trembling, but also with a strange sense of confidence.

Dr. Martin comes in...he scans through the report...and then the words...No evidence of active disease. I remain NED!
Dr. Martin told Rand and I that the first 6 months after treatment is the most crucial. Usually recurrence occurs during that time. When you get to a year the chance of recurrence lessons and continues to lesson each year thereafter. Everything on the scan he said had either decreased or no change was noted, therefore has remained stable. I have some nodules in the lungs which the radiologist suggested following but no evidence of being hypermetabolic which would indicate cancer. Scar tissue in the right lower abdomen has decreased in size. I do have chronic L5 spondylolysis (forward subluxation of the lower lumbar vertebrae) with grade I anterolisthesis of the L5 and S1.
In anterolisthesis, the upper vertebral body is positioned abnormally compared to the vertebral body below it. More specifically, the upper vertebral body slips forward on the one below.

The amount of slippage is graded on a scale from 1 to 4. Grade 1 is mild (20% slippage), while grade 4 is severe (100% slippage).

This would explain the back pain I have been experiencing. Not major though. Hey, I can live with that!

We kept the baby's last Friday night. Skeeter Bob (AKA Landan) is a hold me baby. So sweet and such beautiful little fellow. Kylee is 100 miles an hour down a dead end road. I just want to squeeze her and then eat her. She's an independent little poop. Such a joy! Next time we're gonna have all the grandkids spend the night....am I crazy or what?

Rand will officially be laid off from his job at the end of the month. Don't know how things will work out but we're not worrying. Things always come together. We are still trying to sell our house. If we do, we are probably headed for the country. We want to try to find a little farm house with some land and live simply. Get back to the basics. Know what I mean? Through our experiences last year we learned so much. One major thing is that it doesn't matter what car you drive, or house you live in as long as you are surrounded by the people you love. Being together is what sustains us...not our stuff. Actually, we can't wait to slow down and live the simple life.

So, we are in celebration and able to take another deep breath, continue to live in love and thankfulness for our lives and our family and friends.