I missed posting at the 4- and 5-year “cancerversaries” of my diagnosis. You can chalk that up to my health being very uneventful, which is a great thing.&nbsp;I’m now six years down the road of this odd journey. At the beginning of this, I never imagined there would ever again be a day where my health could be described as “uneventful.”&nbsp;We are a long way from the original Stage IV diagnosis and grim statistics on lung cancer survival. When the specific genetic mutation of my cancer was identified, we knew that changed my options for treatment but had no idea that it could extend my life for so long, at such high quality.&nbsp;I take my pills, have regular brain and whole body scans, get blood drawn to assess my liver’s ability to hang tight on this treatment and continue check-ins with physicians. And thankfully, those provider visits have become very quick and easy, my liver has developed a tolerable relationship with the drug I take and the scans tell us that the microscopic cancer in my body remains stable/asleep/dumb. (For explanation, see “My Dumb Cancer” update from 1/10/2020)&nbsp;One of the biggest surprises, and sometimes challenges, of this journey is discovering that my treatment—targeted therapy that holds my gene mutation in the “off” position as long as possible—doesn’t lend itself to our traditional vocabulary and knowledge about cancer.&nbsp;The traditional path we’ve come to know is: Diagnosis &gt; Treatment &gt; Remission &gt; Cure.&nbsp;The targeted therapy path is: Diagnosis &gt; Treatment &gt; Treatment &gt; Treatment &gt; Treatment…&nbsp;My hope is that science continues to advance to the point where my path can one day end with &gt; Cure.&nbsp;So I’m not in remission, even though I don’t look like a cancer patient. I am, however, doing exceptionally well on treatment and my cancer is stable.&nbsp;I’m grateful for everyone that checks in, keeps me in your thoughts and asks when I’m going to make an update on Caring Bridge = )&nbsp;I plan to continue thriving and enjoying Brad and the girls and our life together. Raising two teenaged girls is a different type of stress, one I remain grateful I’m here to enjoy…mostly!

Sheila Baldwin

Update: Six and Still Stable – by Sheila Baldwin