Hello family and friends,

It’s official:  I’M CANCER FREE, but the battle is not over.  This part of my worldly journey is entering its next phase.  Interestingly, the incidence of cancer seems to be very present among us.  Like when you buy a new car, not really noticing how many of the same car is on the road till you bought yours.   I now understand the term “battling cancer for _X_ number of years”.   Our family’s bonds are more meaningful.  Friends are more endearing and closer with gatherings feeling more like special occasions regardless of the event.  I think it’s the realization that life is real and soo special when you see each other. 

Danny and I visited Dr. Tewari last Tuesday to discuss the results from my PET and CAT scans taken the week prior.  I’m progressing incredibly well and Dr. Tewari is very pleased in sharing our accomplishments.  He summarized the significance of the stage of my ovarian cancer (4a), my surgery: total hysterectomy, removal of part of my intestines, rectum…  and yet, I feel normal/great!!!  He shared his experience with the successes he has seen in medicine in his 20+ years, which I appreciated hearing.  He described how, in the earlier years of his career when he would see a patient, the cancer would take them within 6 months; which would not give him enough time to perform the surgery I benefited from.   And, if they made it to surgery, a colostomy bag was a lifelong companion.  He shared several more stories which I won’t bore you with as I become very wordy with my sharing.  Only to say that it reminded me of my days of learning to type on a manual typewriter with the “carriage return” to our current age of computers.  But, I digressed again.  Dr. shared that the lab results from the cancer did not contain a mutant gene; however, my tumor from my ovary did (BRCA1 or BRCA2). Dr. gave Danny and I (as we are a team in this battle) three choices in treatment and we immediately knew which one fit our lifestyle.  We’re going with a recently FDA approved drug:  ZEJULA.  I will take 2 tablets at night for three years.  There are side effects, including bone marrow problems, resulting in Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) or a type of blood cancer called Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).  I’m told there is a 2-3 week process involved getting this drug approved by my insurance (the reasons for the delay is another paragraph so I won’t bother).  Hence the term: “Cancer battle”.

All to say, how very blessed I am.  My spirits are high which I am very grateful for as my mother was bi-polar since the age of 13 and I know the hell her life was with mental illness.  My health is good (despite the obvious).  My family (including extended family) is everything I ever could dream it WOULD be.  My friends, new and old (literally and figuratively) are my most precious, memorable pleasures. 

I say over and over:  Thank you all for your uplifting thoughts and prayers.  I believe in the power of prayer and believe I’ve gotten to this milestone because of prayer.  I cherish all the thoughtful gifts, including personal and family keepsakes which bring the holy spirit closer to me. 

Love, prayers, and Merry Christmas

Christy

PS. 

All I want for Christmas is a wig that doesn’t itch.