Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Hurry up and WAIT

A lot of friends have been wondering why I'm getting another biopsy on my neck this time. I'll go back and update on everything that has happened the past few weeks. It's honestly almost been *too* much for me. Notice how I said ALMOST. I've pushed through and am stronger every day even when life is not going in the best way possible.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I had my re staging PET Scan to see how well the chemo has been destroying the Cancer.
  • The Good News: It is almost gone in my chest and lungs and completely gone in my arm pit.
  • Not So Good News: Some lymph nodes in my neck are still "lighting up" the same amount as in my first scan. We need to find out why they are still so bright. I found out that Cancer is not the only thing that lights up in these scans. It's actually any form of "energy." So they could be lighting up still due to infection or a variety of other reasons. This is *most likely* the case. So they need to remove a few of the "hot" lymph nodes in my neck. I thought this would be a simple little surgery but it turns out since the lymph nodes are NOT swollen they need to first have me do a CAT Scan right before surgery. During the CAT scan they will place needle markers in the "hot" lymph nodes to point out which ones to remove. These needles will stick out of my neck (I will try and get a selfie) until I get them removed during surgery (I'm thinking Ill look like Frankenstein!) Within a couple days after that I will find out whether they are positive or negative for lymphoma (or heaven forbid a different type of Cancer). If they are negative then I will just continue on my treatment plan. If they are positive then I will have to see a lymphoma specialist and do a different treatment (most likely a harder chemo regimen). Please pray it is negative. If anything counts I'm feeling really good about this and my instincts tell me its going to be negative. My surgery is Wednesday June 10th so hopefully we will know about that Friday. I'm continuing with my normal chemo *tomorrow* and then the day after surgery. I only have three more after this one as long as everything goes as hoped!
    As you can see it does look WAY better. It's hard to see the hot spots in my neck in this picture.
Like I wrote above even with this curve ball I am feeling good. Whatever happens it will work out. My oncologist even told me he has a gut feeling its all going to be ok, and that no matter what the outcome of the biopsy we will beat this! Right now its just a "hurry up and wait" situation. I'm getting kind of used to that! I know God has a plan and he knows all so I'm trusting him, and honestly that makes me feel AMAZING. I'm in perfect hands. 


3 comments:

  1. Oh Annie! This curve ball blows, but I'm stoked for the needle neck selfie! You'll do great! Love ya!

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  2. Negative negative negative!!! For sure! Prayers and good thoughts being sent, as always. Love your positivity. Thinking of you!

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  3. Hope everything turns up negative! Your attitude is inspiring.

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