Sometimes we don't really notice just how good it can get.

Rob Thomas' lyrics to the song Someday express the relief and gratitude I've been feeling in the last week or so. My March Madness finally came to an end when I was finally released from Englewood Hospital on March 29th. Yes, all my blood counts, including those stubborn neutrophils, finally came back and are now showing off as normal. That was almost as much of a relief as my next bit of news: The results of the April 16th bone marrow biopsy showed a complete molecular remission - no sign of leukemia or leukemia markers (like the inversion 16 chromosome) at the genetic level! No more chemo! It looks like I'll be able to keep the Gold Medal that the Universe loaned to me when I had my first molecular remission in December. I am happy beyond words and once again feel as though I've been spared a terrible fate. I have also come to appreciate how happy news like this is for Dr. Forte and other committed doctors who work in cancer fields. He told me that outcomes like this are why he is an oncologist.

We agreed that, to be sure of this remission, I should have another bone marrow biopsy in 5 weeks (scheduled for May 20th), after which I can resume my pre-leukemia life. Of course, nothing will be completely the same after such an ordeal. But feeling good, not anticipating illness, and getting back to work will do wonders for my psyche, which, by the way, has survived the wounds of battle and is happy for each new day. That's the scoop for cancer no. 2.

As for cancer no. 1, the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the breast, ACCB, with lung metastasis, I'm doing pretty well there too. I went to Johns Hopkins for a PET/CT this week and there is only one questionable lesion that needs to be watched. One "hot spot" in my right lung lit up on the PET scan, but didn't light up on the CT scan. This is unusual, as CTs are more detailed than PETs, and the area on the CT is vague and undefined. It would be tricky for Dr. Georgiades to ablate with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) because the procedure is CT guided and he needs clearly defined margins to get the entire lesion. We decided to repeat the tests in June to see if there is any change. The other possibility, although remote, is that it's leftover pneumonia from my chemo complications in January. The suspected lesion isn't growing, so there's no harm in making sure it's really cancer before ablating.

[The PET actually showed a second hot spot on my lowest left rib. This was a total mystery because it also did not show up on the CT. Dr. Georgiades thought that this might be inflammation from a cracked a rib because I was sore from working out for the first time in 6 months. This made sense since chemotherapy weakens bones. It turns out that a tiny drop of the radioactive isotope that is injected before the PET/CT somehow got on my skin and showed up as another lesion. Because it was so odd, given my history, Dr. Georgiades investigated the finding with the PET radiologists and discovered that the isotope was outside my body, not inside. He called me today to tell me that this hot spot has been re-designated as "contamination," and not to worry. He's awesome.]

The bottom line is that one small lesion, whether it's new or residual from a previous ablation, is not that big of a deal. It could be a lot worse. Although this was not a totally clean PET/CT, I'm not really concerned. I've reached the point where having to have a tumor burned out of my chest presents more of a scheduling challenge than it does fear of additional cancer. Funny how that attitude has evolved. The leukemia adventure presented so many potentially life threatening challenges that somehow I was able to overcome, I started imagining myself as Jack Bauer on 24. That guy just keeps getting up. With the help of my medical team, I've been able to make it to the end of the day.

Sometimes we don't really notice just how good it can get. At this point in my life, believe me, I've noticed.

Kathy

CANcer + HEALth = CAN HEAL