I don't think I've kept the blog updated as much as I should! So sorry!
Brief Recap: In Nov 2011 a spot showed up on my remaining kidney after over 4 years with no recurrences. Rescanned in Feb 2012 and it had grown a little. Had surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center in March 2012 to remove the tumor along with about 10% of my kidney. That new tumor was a Stage I, not a metastasis from the first, Stage IV kidney cancer I had in 2007. So that was good news, really! Yes, Stage I cancer is my idea of GOOD news! Follow-up scans in July (?) 2012, no new cancer. January 2013, no new cancer!
Fast forward to TODAY. Scan time again. My FANTASTIC family doctor, Jean Haab, intercepted the reports within HOURS so I didn't have to agonize until I see my oncologist later this week:
CT scan of chest - still showing those tiny lung spots but they barely (sorta) changed... ok they are were a tiny bit bigger in January but no change this time. Still the largest is only 5mm which is VERY small, practically insignificant in oncology circles. No one knows what they are. Lots of people have benign lung spots - maybe that's all they are. I'm told, "these do not ACT like metastatic cancer". I'm told "FORGET THE LUNG SPOTS KAREN." (Trying!) We will scan at regular intervals just to keep watch on them.
Second part of my testing today were MRIs of abdomen and pelvis, a fun almost 2 hours tied to a table inside a tiny tube. YUCK. That's OK... THE MRIs WERE ALL CLEAR! So thankful that Dr Haab takes the time to find my reports and call me right away. And SO THANKFUL that God has blessed me with more time without cancer. Maybe it will never come back? Or maybe it will. But, for now, I am so thankful!
Time to hug those grandbabies! OH, did you hear? We have added TWO wonderful grandbabies to our hearts and lives in the past year. Julius, who is almost 4 months old, and Eliana who is 8 + 1/2 months. SO MUCH FUN! I LOVE being "GrammyMom"!!!
THANK YOU for reading this blog and more than that, for PRAYING for us. It has been a long hard last 6 years or more for many reasons, cancer included, and I am thankful that God has brought us through the storms. I know there will be storms as long as we live on this earth, and pray that I will learn from each one and depend on Him more and more with each day that He gives me.
Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.
Love
Karen
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
~Romans 15:13
