Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Another Update

So I forgot about the last post in my draft folder for a couple of months.
A quick update is in order.

First, I should note that when I was first diagnosed, I was sad to see a flurry of posts by fellow travelers on the NHL journey hoping to mine any data about relapse, long-term effects and just a general outcome. I was desperately searching for success stories. I sadly have forgotten one poster who was leaving his blog up but wrote a final post that he would no longer update it as he didn't want to define himself by his cancer. At the time, I felt a little shorted but now, I understand this view. I catch myself every couple of weeks remembering hurdles in my treatment, conversations I had with well wishers, contacts I made with old friends and the worry for the future of my family.
Now it is just a memory that I must revisit every couple of months during my scheduled updates with my new Onc.

I had a petscan a couple of weeks ago and everything is back to normal. NED. It felt so routine and i am happy that the CT scans are history.
Still relatively primal and working out a couple of times a week. My shoulder is still wonky so I am limited but not enough to undergo surgery which would have happened if we stayed in Michigan. The shoulder is actually getting better I think with a gentler approach to lifting - no longer doing full body weight pull-ups.

Turning 48 soon so the prospect of making it this far with a cancer scare and maybe some thinner hair from the chemo is a decent trade off.

Had a whirlwind tour of Florida as a weekend celebration for my 25th wedding anniversary; Sarasota Bay tour with my parents, Cavalia's Odysseo in Miami, overnight and an exciting day with friends on Little Torch Key and back to Wellington. Lots of miles...exhausted but certainly glad to be alive.