All Clear!!

What a feeling! 800 ccs of fluid removed from my body last Tuesday, a week of waiting, and finally, the results: no sign of any cancer in any bit of that jug o' juice. Such a rush of happiness and relief. It's hard to put into words. But I'll try.

I woke up this morning with so much certainty that all would be well. I could just feel it. When I got to Norris, those normal feelings of results-related nervousness didn't creep in at all. Even when Taline and Dr. Lenz walked into the examination room, I remained cool as a cucumber. I greeted them with a big smile, reclined on the examination bed with my arms folded behind my head -- as if I was on some tropical island instead of at a cancer hospital. I felt just as serene. I didn't even need to hear the words "no cancer was detected" but I loved hearing the words all the same. The news filled me with a noticeable shot of energy stronger than any cup of coffee I'd ever had. 

All was well. My body was working with me. And, for now, there would be no need for more chemo.

This cancer business is never an open and shut thing. It's never really "over" once you're diagnosed with this insidious, tricky, jackass of a disease. But you take your good news and your bad news in stride, believing in yourself, your doctors, your Creator, and the fact that your will to live is stronger than any disease. I held fast to those beliefs and had an awesome time last week, even with impending results looming in the distance. This week is going to be even better.

And for the radiologist who wrote up my PET/CT scan report, and cavalierly used the language "highly worrisome for malignant etiology" and "progression of disease" and "consistent with pleural metastic disease," YOU WERE F*#KING WRONG! Now please learn how to be cautious and careful and thorough without using such incendiary language. I know you're trying to save your butt from lawyers like me, but there are ways to do your job without overdoing it. And, I'm sorry -- you overdid it this time in a major way. You are lucky -- VERY LUCKY -- that Dr. Lenz talked me off the ledge, because I was coming for you, pal. Coming for you to confront you...physically, if need be. You are probably scaring other patients and that is not cool. Like we need another thing to deal with, right? Seriously, watch yourself. 

Ok, now that I've gotten that off my chest (that was all that was left on my chest after that fluid went bye bye), it's time to celebrate!! Thank you for your love and support, as always. I am truly, truly blessed.