REMISSION

I have reviewed my records and I found some CT Scans from July 30th 1998 that were done during the mid point of my Fludara treatments. I had received enough chemo to kill an Elephant (36 treatments) and enough radiation to give a person a permanent glow (or some other type of cancer). One CT Scan in 1997 and three more Scans in 1998.

After three cycles of Fludara I was sent to get CT Scans. The results of my July Scan were, Cervical adenpathy (enlargement of lymph nodes) has improved significantly since previous study done 5-6 98. Finally, good news, but I still had three more rounds of “The Juice”. I took those three cycles of treatments and on October 30^th 1998 I went to get another CT Scan. It had been almost one year since my diagnosis.

Two days later, I drove to the Hospital and picked up my film and the hard copy of the results. As usual, I walked back to my car, got in and opened the envelope so I could read the results. I was confident that it would be good news based on the July report. The result of the report dated 10-30-98 read, Mild cervical lymphadenopathy, further reduced in sizes relative to 7/30/98 examination.

Lymphadenopathy is a medical term, which means disease of the lymph nodes, and or swollen or enlarged lymph nodes, chronic, abnormal enlargement. I only had a few mildly prominent nodes and only one larger then 1cm (1.2cm). Remember, normal lymph nodes are less then one centimeter in size.

The treatments finally worked. I was now driving to my doctor’s office. I arrived and went in to meet with Dr S. He reviewed the report and then he told me that I was in REMISSION. Praise the Lord I was a blessed man. Suffering through a year of torture had paid off. He told me I would now get CT Scans every three months for a while, and then every 6 months, then once a year and then time would tell. I was scheduled for a CT Scan and office visit for February of 1999.

I left his office with a happiness I had not known for a long time. I did not worry that I was pasty white and sickly looking, or that my walking felt spastic because of my treatments, or that I was getting headaches everyday. None of that mattered, I was on cloud nine. I was in REMISSION and CANCER FREE (kind of). When they say remission, what they mean is that they can not detect the cancer. None the less, It was time to celebrate life!!!!!!

Next time… Treating The Headaches