Steady as she goes

It's been a long while since I posted, but that's because there's been no news to report. No news is GOOD news! But today the news was even better. Last week I got my first 3-month CEA test. I had it done in Mexico, so it took a week to get the results in. Pam was on pins and needles for the whole week, and was very worked up as we went in to the doctor's office to get the result. When we got there, the nurse didn't give us the result, but instead referred us in to see the doctor. Uh oh. The last time that happened the news wasn't good at all! He said "I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first?"

Pam was in agony. She dreaded the bad news with all her heart. This is the doctor, remember, who first diagnosed me. He delivered that worst of all possible news in just the same manner. I jumped in and said "Give us the good news, doc." The good news was that the CEA test result was 2.43! (Remember that less than 5 is normal for former cancer patients, and less than three is normal for everyone else.) Woo hoo! After that, what possible news could be bad? "The bill!" Pam didn't think his joke was very funny, but the good news was too good to let it get her down.

It's definitely a relief. If my radiologist's dire warning had come to pass, and my head tumor was just the first of many recurrences that would come faster and faster, then a high test result would pretty much spell the end of the line for me. On the other hand, a low number--and this is a really, really low number--means that it's completely gone and I'm back to normal.

I don't think I'll quit "looking over my shoulder" for a while yet, but this news definitely puts my focus on the future and sets the expectation that it will be a long one.

So now it's time to get that dentist's visit over with. Though a root canal is certainly no fun, I guess I'll need that tooth for a while yet so it's worth the investment in pain.

Doing the happy dance,

Clem