September 21, 2006
The Big Six Zero
This will be, God willing, my last cancer post. No, not because I won't be around, but because by all appearances I will be around a while longer.
In January of this year, I announced here that I had been diagnosed with Lung Cancer, the Big C:
Thursday, January 26th, I was diagnosed with lung cancer. Talk about a kick in the teeth.The diagnosis is obviously freightening, but at the same time, it has given me a new resolve. And that resolve is to fight this son-of-bitch right down to the wire and I have every intention of winning."
I had surgery to remove the tumor, six months of chemo therapy that for sure beat me down as bad or worse than anything I have had physically happen to me and then a follow up CT scan that showed no tumors present. That occurred on August 11th and I posted on it as soon as I received the good news. My oncologist said, however, that a P.E.T. scan needed to be also done to detect if there were any new tumors starting somewhere too small for the CT scan to pick up.
With some trepidation, I had the P.E.T. scan on the 11th of September and yesterday, September 20th I had another appointment with the Oncologist to get the results. As I sat in the examining room, all sorts of thoughts flashed through my mind. "Will he tell me good news or bad?" "Where is he, why is he taking so long?" and especially, "Maybe he doesn't want to tell me the bad news even though he has had to tell plenty of others in the past."
Soon, the good doctor did however come in, sit down and "GRIN."
"The P.E.T. scan came back negative, you are cancer free."
Yesterday, the 20th of September was also my 60th birthday, what a really neat birthday present that news was.
And so, this catagory "Medical" is officially retired, the "Fight On Ribbon" has been moved to the right side of the post and I thank each and every one of you for all the good wishes, prayers and thoughts that you have sent my way. Thanks and God Bless!
Update: Welcome o' ye readers of Glenn Reynolds, the esteemed Instapundit.
Excellent news!
Posted by MD at September 21, 2006 06:55 AM
Woo-freakin'-Hoo!@!!!
Posted by Ogre at September 21, 2006 07:06 AM
Thank God. What a day, huh? Oh, and Happy Birthday.
Posted by andrew at September 21, 2006 07:18 AM
What a wonderful birthday present! May you continue to be blessed with good health. Carpe diem, quan minium credula postero!
Posted by The Cheerful Oncologist at September 21, 2006 07:22 AM
Hooray! And belated happy birthday! I've added you to my calendar of blogger birthdays, so next year on the 20th I can announce yours as well as Pixy Misa's.
Posted by Jay at September 21, 2006 07:25 AM
Great news and welcome to the club. I've been in remission ten years now (Non-hodgkins lymphoma - three surguries, five months of chemo, one month of radiation) and every day has been a blessing. Good luck.
Posted by DL From Heidelberg at September 21, 2006 07:26 AM
Great, great news! I too am a cancer survivor - 10 years now. I know how you're feeling - it just don't get any better than this! Congrats!! ... & ... Happy 60th!
Posted by Vulgorilla at September 21, 2006 07:29 AM
Congratulations! Can I say I'm envious of you.
Posted by Ted at September 21, 2006 07:33 AM
Happy Birthday and may you have many more!
Posted by Helen Smith at September 21, 2006 07:46 AM
Hey! Happy birthday! (And what a happy birthday it is, too.)
And you just happen to be exactly 50% older than me. Or were, for that one day. :)
Posted by Pixy Misa at September 21, 2006 07:51 AM
AWESOME GM!!!! The fighting on worked and so did the prayers! I am SO HAPPY for you my friend!!!!
Bless you!
Posted by Raven at September 21, 2006 07:54 AM
Happy Birthday! What a great present! I once knew a lady who had breast cancer in her 50's and lived to be 107. "You can do it!" Onward!
Posted by DADvocate at September 21, 2006 07:59 AM
I am so happy for you!
Posted by The Anchoress at September 21, 2006 08:10 AM
Great news! What kind of thank-you note do you plan to write to the Giver of this priceless birthday gift?
Posted by civil truth at September 21, 2006 08:15 AM
Excellent!
Posted by chris Muir at September 21, 2006 08:20 AM
CT, Prayer and personaly delivered on my knees!
Posted by GM at September 21, 2006 08:20 AM
Terrific! I knew that you could do it.
Sixty years old? Why, I would have guessed that you weren't a day over fifty-eight.
Posted by Woody at September 21, 2006 08:22 AM
What wonderful news for you and your family! And Happy Birthday too! (a day late)
Posted by Laura Lee Donoho at September 21, 2006 08:40 AM
GM, thjis is really great news. I know the wait must have been eating your guts out but the news was worth the wait.
I will keep you in my prayers!
Large Mutt
Posted by Big Dog at September 21, 2006 09:06 AM
Hell of a job, brother, hell of a job! Well done & God bless you!
Posted by Jon G. at September 21, 2006 09:51 AM
Damn good news old man.
Posted by Kender at September 21, 2006 09:58 AM
WOW, God bless you, GM, I'm relieved, happy, elated, as I'm sure you and your loved ones are, at this news!
Good for you!
Posted by Cao at September 21, 2006 04:49 PM
Congratulations on this most excellent news. Must have seemed like a V-E-R-Y L-O-N-G T-I-M-E sitting there in the Dr's Office waiting for the sentence.
Glad things have worked out so well for you. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.
Posted by dougf at September 21, 2006 05:18 PM
I don't now how I missed this post, GM. But I'm so happy for you. You've just made this girl's day! God Bless you!
Posted by Oyster at September 22, 2006 01:23 PM
Congratulations! I've been there -- sixteen years ago -- and I know how terrifying it can be. Are there any words more beautiful than "Cancer Free?"
Posted by Barbara Branden at September 22, 2006 10:55 PM
Happy Birthday! And congratulations on kicking cancer's butt :)
Posted by Cindermutha at September 24, 2006 01:00 PM
Happy Birthday, GM. And many, many, many, many more.
January 4th, 2007 is my official 5-year cancer-free point. Time flies when you are off chemo and feeling great!
Posted by Gail at September 25, 2006 03:52 PM
