cancer free

hi,
yesterday was check up day at UPENN with my oncologist, Dr. Lynn Schuchter. I am officially cancer free. Nothing showed up on my PET/ CT scan. I now can glow in the dark from all the radiation they have pumped into me for the last 2 years, but the cancer is no where to be found. I now have only a yearly check up for the next few years and hopefully I can get completely off their radar and radiation program. I hate drinking that cocktail for the test, blech!

In my mind, life is now back to 'normal'. It's been almost two years since I started this nightmare and I have made it through the tunnel of horrors. Coming out the other end is bliss. Dr. Schuchter says "I'm fabulous", so it must be true, she wouldn't lie to me would she? I like the way they never say "you're cured" or even "it's over". It's always something ephemeral and lofty. High enough up there to make you feel good, but not promise anything. I'll take it.

To celebrate my new found freedom and health Marshall & I cleaned the pond today. It really does feel great to do the mundane daily stupid stuff without the weight on your shoulders of pending tests. I have three hundred and sixty-four days of uninterrupted good health to live with. Nice. Even the elephant ear plant in our garden got into the party by blooming. That's the 'lily' you see posted on the blog photo. It's about 14" in length. The elephant ears I'm standing in with are over 4' in size. We have had such a hot, wet season the plants think they are in the tropics so they are blooming like they do at the equator.  I pretend we live in Panama... cancer free.

xox
m