The Cancer's GONE!!!

Ok, I said I was going to kick cancer's ass -- and I DID!! I got my midpoint PET scan results back yesterday, and they were clean. Here's a quote from the report:

"INDICATION: 40 year old female with history of Hodgkins lymphoma. Staging PET scan from 12/04 reported abnormal uptake in the nodes in bilateral neck, mediastinum, bilateral axillae, abdomen, pelvis and inguinal region as well as diffuse and focal splenic involvement.

FINDINGS: No metabolic abnormality in the neck, mediastinum, or axillae. No metabolic abnormality in the liver, spleen, or bilateral lung parenchyma. No metabolic activity within the soft tissues below the diaphragm, including inguinal regions. No metabolic abnormality within the bones.

Compared to prior PET scan from 12/04, previously seen abnormal uptake within the nodes both above and below the diaphragm including abnormal uptake in the spleen has completely resolved with no residual metabolic abnormality in these regions.

IMPRESSION: No metabolic abnormality to suggest residual active malignancy."

Pretty freaking amazing. I am so grateful, so incredibly grateful. I'd been praying about the results -- they were in on Monday, but the computers were down at the radiation center and so I couldn't get them. So the prayers continued, and this running cycle in my mind went around and around: "Please, please let me get a clean scan. But they're done -- it's too late." Then I would just imagine the results changing on the printed page, on the computer screen.... Then I'd go through it all again, like some sort of uncontrollable mental repeat cycle.

I cried when I read those results, and then again in rereading them. I am humbled by this gift. Getting a completely clean scan at the halfway point is considered to be a strong prognostic indicator, reflecting a decreased probability of subsequent relapse -- vs. a result of 75% reduction, for example. They're both great, but damn, I got the very best news I could.

So now I continue with six more treatments, with the first of those six occurring tomorrow morning. I met with my oncologist this morning, and she was ecstatic! She gave me a big hug (of course, she's very small, so her face just barely cleared my ample bosom!) and was just so encouraging. At the end of the six treatments, I will have NO RADIATION! I am just beside myself.

I want to thank you, my friends, for all the support you give me; I know with certainty that you've been key to my staying as positive as I have -- and that's some priceless medicine.

A malignant node must be 2 cm. or larger to light up on the PET, so it's possible that there are still some tiny evil nodes and/or evil cancerous cells. That's why it's necessary to continue with the second half of treatment. It's the final mop-up. I know that these next six will be hard, but the knowledge that I'm in the home stretch and that IT'S WORKING will get me through it. I'm just so, so happy and grateful.

And amazed. Life really is a kick in the pants, isn't it??