Greetings nearest and far-est and dearest,
This morning we met with TerriSue at 7:30 to go over the details of Val’s bloodwork before chemo. Val mentioned that she had her second scan yesterday, and TerriSue replied, “I know,” and her face broke into a beaming smile. The prettiest smile I’ve just about ever seen, full of sunshiny implications. Relief fizzed in my body as TerriSue (still smiling hugely) added, “I can’t discuss the scan results with you until you’ve met with the doctor…” and as I gasped and said “Yes but you’re smiling! She’s smiling!” TerriSue continued “… but you can relax. It’s good.”
HURRAY!!!
So then we met with the doctor an hour later, who gave us the specific findings on the tumor and the original three nodules. In thrilling summary, two of the original nodules are now basically gone, and the main tumor keeps shrinking! Here are the details:
- The main tumor has continued to reduce in size. From the last scan the tumor (known as “Lesion #1”) has shrunk from 7.0 x 4.5 cm to yesterday’s 6.1 x 2.9 cm. Also it “has almost separated into lung and mediastinal components,” meaning it’s not so intermeshed with Val’s anatomy anymore.
- Nodule #2 is almost completely gone. (Used to be 1.0 x 0.8 cm; now it’s basically negligible – “nearly completely resolved” – at 4 mm in diameter.)
- Nodule #3, vanquished last time, is still gone; or more specifically, “This vague smudge-like density is unchanged since the prior study. Again, it is too vague to give a discrete measurement.”
- Nodule #4 seems to be unchanged, approximately 10 mm in diameter.
And the scan shows that everywhere else looks good. Nothing new to worry about. And her bloodwork is good: red blood cells getting big and fat and working hard; hemoglobin working overtime too; but all numbers are within the ranges expected with this kind of chemo.
So there it is, kids. Your love and prayers and healing energy are working. And we do our best to amplify them and send them circling back to you.
Love,
Deborah
Great news – Congrats!
Yeehaw! I am visualizing them between my fingers and shrinking them, like that skit from The Kid’s in the Hall!!!!
I am sending out a huge shrieking cry of joy that startles all my co-workers at their desks, makes them stop what they’re doing and look up. Now I’m running up and down the hall grabbing people at random and hugging them and crying with relief.
Well
I’m not really doing these things, but secretely, psychicly, I am.
and sending love
yip yip yahoo! i am so stoked about this news!
I’m so happy for you both! Yay!