Follow-up

Part 3

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog and my story about having cancer I want to THANK YOU! It was a huge leap for me to share my story with the world and reading all the positive comments, emails and messages sending love and prayers and good vibes means so much to my heart. It fills me up and I thank you for that. I love hearing from you all. I hope that my story will remind you that no lump or bump or little voice in your head is too small. Get yourself checked out and keep checking and following up with your doctor because if I had accepted the 2 negative biopsy results as my final answer, I wouldn’t be in the same place I am now.

So you may be asking, “how are things going now?” The answer to that is all good. 6 weeks after my last treatment I went for a PET scan. This scan involves an injection of a radioactive agent into my vein. Then a CT scan to see if the radioactive stuff highlights any areas of cancer growth.

My PET scan on February 1, 2012 showed no evidence of cancer!

So for the next hand full of years I will visit the Tom Baker Cancer Centre on a 3 month rotation to see my oncology team to follow-up and check for any recurrence of a lump or bump that is out of place. I have been assured by my doctors that I will likely find a new lump or bump far before they will…now that I know what I’m looking for. So I take great care in routinely checking my lymphocytes (neck, groin, armpits) in addition to my self breast exams.

It’s been a huge year for us, for me. I’ve learned to appreciate the little things in life. To love the people who are dear to me. To laugh as often as I can. To do my best to simplify my life of unnecessary drama. To tell people that I love them and appreciate them. To mean it. To be grounded in the moment and not worry about the future because we can’t plan for everything. To not be afraid. To let people in. To live my life.

 

Two weeks before my first treatment session I went to the Calgary Tattoo festival and got a tattoo to remind me of all those things. I was lucky enough to get a session with Dan Smith from LA Ink. I look at it and feel stronger.