First, I must apologize for the long delay between posts. Part of that stems from the fact that Laura’s MRI sessions are now spaced further apart. The other part is because I have started a new job and been very wrapped up in getting fully re-integrated back into my new/old team at Microsoft. That happened in late September last year.
But enough about me, that’s not why you’re here.
The last you heard (at least on this blog) was that a “spot” had appeared near where the old tumor was, and that we were hoping and praying that it would go away. That was in the September timeframe.
At the time, we were hopeful yet cautious that it was simply a “radiation affected” area caused by the treatment and not a recurrence of the tumor. We got another MRI in October, followed by one in December. Fortunately, the results in December were good enough to schedule the next one out into March, which is the most recent result that we have.
One thing I do not like about the way doctors handle this kind of thing is that they don’t seem to like giving out hope. They are quick to tell you how serious it is but seem to be overcautious with anything that constitutes “good news” – like they don’t want to be held accountable for things not going as well as they could.
But I am forever the optimist, and I love spreading good news. So, here it is: the spot is GONE! Looking below at the image is a comparison of the October MRI (right pane) with the March one (left pane), an lo-and-behold the spot is nearly gone.
What does this mean? Well, according to the written report of the follow-up visit with the oncologist, this constitutes “remission“. There are no new indications of tumor growth and even the injuries from the treatment are now fading away to nothing.
So, CELEBRATE! This is indeed a miracle, and we are truly grateful for the prayers and support we have received from our friends and family.
There are still some lingering effects from the treatment, such as fatigue, that are a work in progress, and we are both working to help overcome those obstacles. I say “we” because we both need to do the exercise routines that will grow our strength and endurance.
In the meantime, Laura continues to eat a healthy, cancer-combatting diet – one more towards the “keto” side of things, while I try to support her the best I can.
I will keep this one short so that I can post it. I mean, I started writing it a month ago and just now got it online. Sometimes, life just gets in the way.
::: jeffphillips.org ::: 