Morning Pops and you prayerful Pops peeps, so far, so good.
Met with my oncologist this morning, after the labs, 6 weeks after our first meeting. She was visibly surprised and elated and gave me a 9 out of 10 on the entire lab report and a 10 on the liver, the one that concerns them the most. She said whatever you are doing, keep it up because she couldn't see any progress in the cancer. She said unless there is a change, 8 weeks will do for my next checkup. However, only a PETscan will give them a truer reading. We decided to put that off since I really struggled with this last one when they tied my arms up.
RBC was down a little and she asked me if I had given up red meat as part of my dietary change and I said I had and she said I should add some back in for the RBC and red wine can't hurt. A prescription for steak and red wine? Why didn't I get sick earlier? Wonder what I have to get for margaritas and Tex-Mex?
I am not delusional or in denial of what I have and the prognosis but I haven't had any good news in so long that this hit me at a most welcome time. Christmas and New Year's really sucked because I couldn't see family and I had to fight shout outs from the dark places.
Mika, my oncologist, looked at me and smiled behind the mask and said "you just continue to be this mystery and I hope this continues".
Speaking of masks, and I was, I have had 5 ERCP's, MRI, PETscan and 2 surgeries and have never seen anyone's face. I couldn't sue them for malpractice if I wanted to because I can't identify any of them. I feel like I've been going to a clinic run by bank robbers.
This is part of the blessing versus the curse of this diagnosis, in the past I would have played the other shoe, what does the future hold? But screw that, I am going barefoot right now, right now in the here and now. That here and now I always took for granted because I know now and it can be there and gone in a hummingbird's heartbeat.
So, here I am, exactly 3 months into a 6 month death sentence and holding my own against the monster without the chemo. I know, doesn't mean things can't change but part of the reason I am where I am is because of my positive mental attitude and belief my body wants to meet the monster on its own. Not weakened by the very treatment usually administered.
Thank you to those that have kept me in their prayers. I appreciate that and this thread more than you will ever know.