Friday, November 13, 2015

Moving on

It is with a certain amount of excitement and just the smallest amount of regret that I will be ending this portion of my blog. Church's Chuckwagon will continue, but I will be changing the format a little and hopefully writing about some different, and more fun, topics. The small amount of regret stems from the fact that I know so many people who are still fighting the battle. I've said before that cancer is a stone cold killer, with no regard for anyone or anything. It can be beaten though, and we should all do all that we can to make sure that this disease is eradicated before it touches any more of our loved ones, because anyone who thinks that it can't happen to them or someone they love is kidding themselves. I know, because I was one of those people.

I had an appointment with my oncologist the other day and I was a little nervous going in. I had gotten a CT scan three months prior to this visit and the results showed a couple small spots on my lungs. It's not uncommon for cancer to spread through lymph nodes and I was sincerely hoping that this wasn't the case for me. My doctor said that it's pretty common for people in general to have “nodes” on their lungs and that it wasn't necessarily anything to be excited about at the moment. They were too small to do a biopsy on anyway, so he told me we'd have another CT scan before my next visit and see what there was to see.

That CT scan took place a couple weeks ago, and I had to wait a little more than a week to see my doctor for the results. I kept quiet about it because there was no point in raising an alarm that might turn out to be nothing, but inside, I was a nervous wreck waiting for the results of that scan.

It turns out that the nodes were not visible on the most recent scan and that all my numbers are still good. My oncologist told me that he didn't need to see me at three month intervals anymore and that our appointments would now be six months apart. This news, coupled with the fact that my surgeon said that my innards looked good enough that he didn't need to do another colonoscopy for three years, was music to my ears. It will always be something that I think about in the back of my head, but for now, the doctors are telling me that I'm in the clear.

I want to thank everyone who has read this blog for your well-wishes and your support. It has meant the world to Kelly and I. I would also like to tell all my friends who are still battling to please call on us if you need anything. This thing is not meant to be fought alone.

I Have Won