I am at a complete loss. I don’t know if I should cry, celebrate or narcotize.
We just left the oncologists office with an agenda that is entirely happy and extremely sad at the same time. Let me try and explain.
In the beginning, when the cancer cells were discovered and the biopsy results came in (during October), our fear was that these aggressive cells had metastasized outside of the breast and lymph system. Then the CT scan showed some nodes on Jody’s lungs that looked suspicious. Before proceeding we’d need a biopsy. Now we know that there were metastases on her lungs.
If the cells had “not” spread in her system then we would have proceeded with the precautionary step of blasting her body with chemotherapy followed by radiation.
The expected result of this process was a pretty certain eradication of breast cancer cells in her body. Sometime late in 2012 we perhaps would have had a “cancer free” party to celebrate. Now, not so much and this is the sad part of the equation.
Jody at the present time has metastatic cancer cells located in her lungs. The possibility is that they will choose to roam around her body sometime in the future. Treatment is now considered palliative and therefore not curing. So while that is the sad part here is the happy part, no chemotherapy. No certain hair loss. No chemotherapy fog. No harsh side effects but there could be some minor ones; nothing like the side effects of chemo.
Now it will be up to the hormone treatment, good diet and consistent exercise to dictate the length and quality of our years to come. Isn’t this true for everyone? These particular cancer cells thrive on estrogen. The idea, as I understand it, is to limit the amount of estrogen so that these cells shrink and are less destructive. The treatment (filling a prescription and taking pills) starts today. Six weeks from now there will be more tests to see if the cells are growing or shrinking; there may also be radiation treatment.
Being positive will be the key to moving forward. So the next time you see Jody know that the focus is on living well. Understand that the answer to “how are you doing?” is great! Physically all is good. It is time to get back to a normal healthy routine filled with yoga (and her many yoga buddies) as well as putting Mr. C into a backroom until such time as he makes another reckless appearance. Time to talk with friends and family about their lives, our lives and plans for the future.
In short we will proceed on normal with an extra dose of doing things now, rather than later.
My adventure in blogging has come to an end, for now. Thank you to all those family, friends and members of the street that gave me words of encouragement and support. Writing this has been a true labor of love. It was cathartic to share elements of our past and present life and reflect on how fragile and beautiful life is.
No one knows the future time or date that we leave this world. So we will live and love deeply. Maybe it’s also time for me to get started on the next “great Canadian novel”? Stranger things have happened…
An old but true saying seems to be the best way to end this blog.
Today is the first day of the rest of our lives.
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