Uncross those fingers, everyone. The doc says that the scans are all he hoped for. No spreading anywhere, the target tumor greatly reduced to the point where what's left is most likely scar tissue or something like that. This, of course, is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, since the best medical science can offer is a reprieve of remission. I'LL TAKE IT! This is supposed to be a s**t-eating grin picture, but it's the best I can do. Believe me, I'm grinning inside as wide as I can. Unfortunately, my taste buds are still shot, and wine tastes just awful. A good thing, perhaps, as I would have splurged big-time tonight. Just have to smack my lips over that glass of milk, I guess. There are pages of results from the scans, but the gist seems to be:"Interval resolution of intense hypermetabolic activity in the right base of tongue and right cervical lymph nodes suggesting good response to chemoradiation therapy. There is a small focus of mild hypermetabolic activity in the right pharynx inferior to the base of the tongue which may represent inflammatory/post radiation changes, however residual/recurrent disease cannot be excluded. Recommend close follow-up. Interval stable diffuse hypermetabolic activity in the right lobe of the thyroid with more focal activity in the medial portion and no clear CT correlation is likely of benign etiology, however recommend clinical and radiographic follow-up."
So, out of the woods, but watch out for the trees.
I'll be on regular monitoring every few months or so, but absent any setback, this will be the last of the Cancer Chronicles. We'll return this blog to the regular programming of endless nonsense about our RV travels.
Thank you all for the good thoughts, kind words, positive vibes, and prayers. They certainly made me feel better throughout this experience. It's good to have friends. There's an understatement!
