Celebrating The Good News

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fireworks

Photo courtesy of Freedigitalphoto.net and Praisaneng.

Every 3 months I have to go in for a check up to make sure the cancer hasn’t returned. Nearly a year post surgery and I just got the latest lab work back: All clear.

My oncologist told me I’ve got another year of this “aggressive” testing. Then for the next 2 years I get checked just twice a year. Then the 5th (and final year) I’m tested just once. If all is clear after that, then I’ve officially kicked cancer’s sorry ass.

So how do I celebrate the good news?

I’m lifting weights today. And if the weather holds, a bike ride. Finally I’ll cap the day by grilling a burger to top my tasty, big-ass salad.

Radiation Or No Radiation?

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This week I went in for my 2nd opinion regarding post surgical treatment. My oncologist wanted me to consult with a doctor who specializes in radiation oncology about whether or not to go forward with radiation treatment. My type of cancer normally dictates that no further treatment is necessary after surgery. Normally…

Typically, recurrence with my type of cancer is small, less than 3%. But what happens when the tumor is filling the uterine cavity and is much larger than anyone expected? Does the risk of the cancer coming back go up? Read More

Good News On Cancer Battle

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genetic_testing

Thanks to known family history, I’m going in for some genetic testing to see how predisposed I am to other types of cancer.

I went in for my post-surgery follow up with my oncologist and he had great news for me: the cancer didn’t spread. My pathology report came back clean. My cancer was Stage 1a, Grade 1.

Stage and Grade Translation
So what exactly does staging or grading cancer mean?

Staging is related to the size of the tumor and how far it spread. Grading is how doctors describe the actual cells. In my case,

  • Stage 1a – The cancer stayed in the uterus lining but just barely started pushing into the uterine muscle.
  • Grade 1 – The cancer cells look like normal cells and are not growing rapidly.

My oncologist isn’t recommending any radiation or chemo. Basically the surgery cured me and there is less than a 10% chance of the cancer coming back. I’ll still need “aggressive” follow up, visiting my oncologist every 6 months for check ups rather coming back once a year. However… Read More

After Whipping Obesity, I’m Now Fighting Cancer

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June 12th was the last time I posted an update on my weight. A few days after that, I received some of the worst news I’ve ever had in my life, and stepping on the scale was the farthest thing from my mind. While running errands, I got a call from our fertility doctor and was told the reason for my constant spotting. I have cancer.

I remember pulling off the side of the road, but not much after that. The second I heard “cancer” my mind sort of went on autopilot. I vaguely remember hearing something about “survivability” and “cure rate.” The only thing I could think of was getting back home – fast.

Once home, I made it to my front door before the doctor called me back, letting me know the oncologist he told me about would see me next week. I don’t even remember him talking about an oncologist, but I said fine, sure, and we hung up.

I spent the rest of the day crying my eyes out. The news was a double whammy. Not only were our hopes of having a child via IVF dashed, but now I’m googling “survival rates” to see what my chances of living were. That weekend (yep, I got the news Friday morning) I spent most of my time vacillating between stewing in my emotions (sadness, fear, anger) and Googlepalooza. Read More