DAY + 189 GREAT NEWS TO SHARE!!!
TIME TO UPDATE MY BLOG.......
I have been keeping things low key for the past month or so, as I was waiting for an appointment for my 3rd Pet Scan.....
Originally, my scan was supposed to be in December 2006, prior to Christmas......however,
Dr. Wilke ( my radiation oncologist ) had been trying for over a month to get me into the PET facility in Saint John, New Brunswick, as they recently opened, and it would be a lot closer.(approx. 3 1/2-4 hour drive from Halifax)
As it turned out, he was probably the first MD to try to do this, and the head of MSI here had been talking to people in New Brunswick, and had finally got back to Dr. Wilke on Nov. 30th.
Essentially, New Brunswick wanted to charge Nova Scotia nearly 5 times the fee for a PET SCAN than Quebec charges ($5500 versus $1181) for service to Nova Scotia patients, so the Head of MSI told the people in New Brunswick that there will be no deal, therefore Nova Scotia patients will not be funded to go to New Brunswick.
Dr. Wilke also said that I shouldn't pay privately in NB either, as they have had some screw - ups already, as they fly in the radiative stuff from Sherbrooke, per dose, and have had flights cancelled, tests needed to be rebooked, etc, and they are inexperienced.
So, in his hope to get me scanned closer to home......it essentially introduced a delay, of which he was sorry, as he wanted to get me scanned before Christmas.
Therefore.....this meant he had to go back to the drawing board & request another scan at the University of Sherbrooke Hospital in Quebec.....
I was actually OK with delaying my scan until January.......after the hecticness of the Christmas Holidays.
Anyway, Sue & I flew to Montreal on January 10th. Our friend, Lucien drove us to Sherbrooke on Thursday January 11th for the scan. Everything went really smooth during this trip....and after the scan was over....we had a great time going out to eat, shopping, visiting with friends etc.
The test results have been on my mind for the past week & a half........some people call it "scanxiety".......I tried to keep my nerves under control as best as I could......keeping busy helps!!
Anyway, after eating supper tonight....I sat down at my lap top to check my e-mails just after 7pm.......& there was the most beautiful site......an e-mail from wonderful Dr. Wilke saying "GOOD NEWS" in the subject!!!
WELL.........this is the news I so badly wanted to hear!!!!!
The PET scan showed complete regression of the area of abnormal activity. It is no longer metabolically active.
There is no abnormal activity anywhere else. It showed a little inflammation in the lung from the radiation.
I am in remission. Remission doesn't guarantee a cure, but it's a good start.
TIME TO CELEBRATE!!
I have been keeping things low key for the past month or so, as I was waiting for an appointment for my 3rd Pet Scan.....
Originally, my scan was supposed to be in December 2006, prior to Christmas......however,
Dr. Wilke ( my radiation oncologist ) had been trying for over a month to get me into the PET facility in Saint John, New Brunswick, as they recently opened, and it would be a lot closer.(approx. 3 1/2-4 hour drive from Halifax)
As it turned out, he was probably the first MD to try to do this, and the head of MSI here had been talking to people in New Brunswick, and had finally got back to Dr. Wilke on Nov. 30th.
Essentially, New Brunswick wanted to charge Nova Scotia nearly 5 times the fee for a PET SCAN than Quebec charges ($5500 versus $1181) for service to Nova Scotia patients, so the Head of MSI told the people in New Brunswick that there will be no deal, therefore Nova Scotia patients will not be funded to go to New Brunswick.
Dr. Wilke also said that I shouldn't pay privately in NB either, as they have had some screw - ups already, as they fly in the radiative stuff from Sherbrooke, per dose, and have had flights cancelled, tests needed to be rebooked, etc, and they are inexperienced.
So, in his hope to get me scanned closer to home......it essentially introduced a delay, of which he was sorry, as he wanted to get me scanned before Christmas.
Therefore.....this meant he had to go back to the drawing board & request another scan at the University of Sherbrooke Hospital in Quebec.....
I was actually OK with delaying my scan until January.......after the hecticness of the Christmas Holidays.
Anyway, Sue & I flew to Montreal on January 10th. Our friend, Lucien drove us to Sherbrooke on Thursday January 11th for the scan. Everything went really smooth during this trip....and after the scan was over....we had a great time going out to eat, shopping, visiting with friends etc.
The test results have been on my mind for the past week & a half........some people call it "scanxiety".......I tried to keep my nerves under control as best as I could......keeping busy helps!!
Anyway, after eating supper tonight....I sat down at my lap top to check my e-mails just after 7pm.......& there was the most beautiful site......an e-mail from wonderful Dr. Wilke saying "GOOD NEWS" in the subject!!!
WELL.........this is the news I so badly wanted to hear!!!!!
The PET scan showed complete regression of the area of abnormal activity. It is no longer metabolically active.
There is no abnormal activity anywhere else. It showed a little inflammation in the lung from the radiation.
I am in remission. Remission doesn't guarantee a cure, but it's a good start.
TIME TO CELEBRATE!!
posted by Angie | 8:58 pm
14 Comments:
Well it just doesn't get any better than that!! Angie, you so deserve to have this great news. Although this comes 22 days after the fact, it feels great to finally say with confidence, "Happy New Years Sue and Angie!"
With love,
D & L
Super news!!!!Bill and I are so happy for you Angie. This is a great start to a new year. B and B
We agree with the other comments - what better way to start a new year! Like I've mentioned before, your positive attitute I think has everything to do with it. Keep up the good feelings and all the best in the future will come to you.
Happy for you,
Brenda & Gerry
The BEST news so far this year!! We are all so happy for you. Enjoy each day to the fullest.... SAWMILL CREEK WINE is very good..Made in Kelowna!!! We will have one for you with dinner tonight. LOVE YOU ANGIE FROM YOUR Aunt and Uncle and cousins from BC and Alberta.
Angie, THAT IS GRRRRRRRRREAT NEWS!
We are so happy for you! Now you and Sue can get on to trying to have a "normal" life. Keep positive. All the best!
Your Cuz
Julie, Jeffrey and Girls
Mom says:
When you were young,Coleen,You and I went to a movie called"You Light Up My Life". We loved it and we all cried. I feel the news that you have been given by Dr. Wilkie is so expressed in the words of this emotional song . It truly expresses what is in my heart.Your Dad and I have the deepest love and pride of the way you you faced
the challenges of the past 18 months.
Love Mom and Dad
That is fantastic news, Angie! You have shown exceptional strength and courage in your fight with cancer, and you are certainly an inspiration to us all. Keep it up!!! And now get on with the more pleasant aspects of life again! Love, Lee & Wendy
Dear Angie and Sue
Time to celllllllllllllabrate is right!
Jim and I are both overjoyed with your “GOOD NEWS “. We are sure that your determination and constant support of those around you have been a huge part of this wonderful news. Everyone will want to get together with you but, please put us on your list. We would love to have you come to our home for dinner or as Jim had suggested come and cook at your home. The choice is yours – give us your preference and we’ll set the date for one of what I’m sure will be many celebratory feasts!
Love to you both,
Jim and Bea
Angie!!! YAY!! YAY!! YAY!!!!
Wow, I am so deliriously happy to hear that you DID it!!! You freaking did it! I TOLD you you were a cancer killin' machine! I know I'm going pretty crazy with all of the exclamation points, but I really feel each and every one of them!! Lorraine's napping now, but I can't wait to tell her the good news when she wakes up. She asks me all the time, "How's Angie?" "Can we call her to see how she's doing?" "Could you check her blog again to see if she said anything?" So we both love you and think about you. :)
I'm so relieved and happy for you and Sue and your whole family and all of your wonderful circle of friends who clearly love you very much. You're a very special woman, and I celebrate this new chapter in your life. You're right, one clean scan doesn't represent a cure, but it sure is the right way to start!!! You start with the first one and then keep piling them up! Hey, here's an idea: how about we paper some wall in each of our respective homes with all of the clean scans we're going to accumulate over the years of wellness ahead of us? Nah, maybe not. Interesting notion, but seriously not pretty.
I'm approaching my Day +100 and will have my first scan February 5th. I'll then try to act like life is normal until February 16th, when I'll get my results. As I always do, I'm going to get a copy of the scan results as well as hard copies, but I'm not going to pick them up until after the doc shares the news with me in his office. Sometimes discretion really IS the better part of valor. ;)
I've updated over on my blog, so feel free to read back a couple of entries to learn of my fascinating post-transplant life. Pretty titillating stuff. (OK, removing tongue from cheek now.)
Big, tight, squishy hugs and heartfelt shrieks of happiness --- YAY! YAY! YAY! Life is good.
Love,
Sarah
Wonderful news Angie !!!! Celebrate life !!!! Our best wishes always ,Alan & Mona P.S. Krista said lou looked great !!!
Great news Angie!! We are really happy for you....celebrate...you go girl!
Love,
Karen & Becky
Warmest of greetings to you Angie.I am out of the country and running retreats in the jungle.Spiders, earthquakes and all! Arrived back to the village (power-internet) and was sent your great news via email, so although the info is all in Spanish,I understand much and am very happy for your great news! I have included and will continue to include both you and your mom in our healing circles...All the best to you, those you love and your continued healing journey...
Muse Cottage awaits, know that you are most welcome...
All I can do is send a big hug.
Lots of hugs.
Lisa
Well said.
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