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Back from the results appt. I apologize for not posting until now, but I've been on the phone and I also had to bring in my houseplants and banana trees. The news I ultimately wanted to hear was, "There are no restrictions for you right now." I did hear that news. I am free to resume all pre-diagnosis activities. I mentioned to the doctor that I would wear my mask while doing yard and garden work. She said, "I'm not so concerned about the mask as I am about you wearing gloves. Nicks and scrapes, etc. are open invitations for infections."

I asked what it was that allowed me to resume regular activities. She replied, "All of your counts are in the normal range." I told her that I never expected that she would use the word normal to describe me. She replied, "I said your COUNTS were normal." That's why I like her.

Another funny exchange between she and I occurred when I told her I could feel the alien remnants in there. I asked her if I was imagining things. She verified that I wasn't. Since the alien is no longer surrounded by fluids, in it's calcified state it is contacting other organs, etc. that have nerves and that is what I am feeling. I told her that I hadn't felt it kick yet. As a mother who experienced a pregnancy, she replied, "When it starts kicking you sharply in your upper rib cage, then you can complain."

However, more education to come. The PET scan revealed that there is still an area of activity in the alien. It is very minimal and if I did not previously have cancer in that area, there would be no need for further investigation. However, they want to err on the side of caution and check it out. There is a possibility that the glowing area is muscle tissue that is reacting to the previous chemotherapy treatments.

What that means is that I will have a biopsy on Tuesday, the 10th. After that, I will meet with my doctor on the 16th to discuss the review of the biopsy. She has brought the doctors from MCV into the discussion and they will collaborate.

If it requires further treatment, targeted radiation therapy is the option on the table. How many treatments and the intensity is unknown until the biopsy is reviewed.

The good news is that, 1) I will now gain some more knowledge about cancer and radiation treatments, 2) The side effects of radiation are nausea and fatigue (no hair loss - good thing because I got my first hair cut today since last year - didn't mow the lawn, just trimmed the edges) and my level of activity will only be determined by how I feel physically. I won't have to go back under "house arrest" when/if radiation treatment begins.

Where I am mentally with all of this can be summed up by part of the conversation I had with the doctor today. She said, "I know you didn't hear everything you wanted to hear today. " I responded, "The biggest thing I wanted to hear today is that I could resume normal activities. I got to hear that. If it last 3 weeks or 3,000 weeks, I'll enjoy those days."

"Good night friends." - Bo's Mother and my friend, Amy