Exceptionally good

When your oncologist phones about your pathology results, "exceptionally good" are the exact words you want to hear. I spoke with Dr. P on the phone yesterday because he can't make my Friday pre-chemo appointment due to surgery. So he gave me my lab results from the resected tumours over the phone.

He actually said, "exceptionally good!"

The blessed reality of my situation didn't really sink in until I heard him speak these words. I think I'm going to be okay.

I always had every intention of fighting this cancer with every breath and fibre of my being. But there was still a chance I was fighting a losing battle (not that I would have given up). But it's not a losing battle. I'm a little emotional about it all this morning and feel a bit teary at the slightest provocation. But that's okay, I'm allowed. I'm relieved, thankful and overwhelmed.

So, the lab results revealed that even though the two tumours were on my omentum, the cancer started in my ovaries. Technically speaking, they're grade 2 papillary serous cells. Grade 2 means they're moderately differentiated from normal cells. The better differentiated the cells, the better they respond to chemotherapy. They range from grade 1 (the least malignant with highly differentiated cells) to grade 3 (most malignant with poorly differentiated cells).

Dr. P said he found very little disease. Yay! My liver, bowel, and diaphram (which often gets involved with ovarian cancer) were clear. The masses were small and my lymph nodes weren't enlarged.

In fact, he was so optimistic about my results, he started talking about a clinical trial for maintenance once I'm in remission. His words were, "Now is a good time to mention . . ." For him to discuss a plan for AFTER treatment made my heart soar because he believes I'll make it there.

The treatment plan still consists of four more rounds of chemotherapy to zap those little cancer stragglers. My chemo nurse called yesterday to make sure I was up to the treatment, to which I replied, "bring it on."

I know I'll probably feel the effects more dramatically this round because I'll be recovering from two onslaughts to my body, but let's get on with it.

I now feel like I can make plans for the future. I've been hesitant to do so because I just didn't know. But now I have hope.

It's good to have hope.

Tina