I’ve been a little blue over the past month. The atypical glumness came with the deaths, in rapid succession, of several people I cared for. Despite their passion, humor and tenacity, they didn’t manage to hang on to the life they loved so fiercely. Perhaps I believed deep down that, somehow, fighters will prevail; against disease, against the ups and downs of life. How true my former belief is not saddened me for weeks. It all seemed overwhelmingly unfair.
Then this week arrived, and my scalp started sprouting baby-fine peach fuzz. I was initially elated, then depressed thinking that it’ll soon fall out once chemo begins again. Baldness isn’t the end of the world, but I really do miss my hair. Today brought some good news: Wednesday’s CT scan showed normal sized lymph nodes, and a minuscule reduction to the primary tumor. My oncologist will have tissue from January’s biopsy sent for ALK mutation testing to see whether I’d be a candidate for that new wonder drug, Crizotinib. I’ll begin a new regimen of prednisone to reduce lung inflammation, undergo another PET scan in two months. Oh yes, AND for now we’re holding off on more chemo. I may have hair by Thanksgiving!
So, I get to spend the next few months buzzing around like the Engergizer Bunny (side effect of prednisone). This means that all my clothes will soon be mended and ironed, we’ll have an extremely clean house for the holidays, and maybe we won’t have to cancel our Christmas party, after all.
Nothing has really changed: Those who recently died are still dead, I still have cancer and we haven’t hit the super lotto just yet. What I do have more of this week: hope and a little peach fuzz.
Wow Joyce – I love this news. I love your spirit. And I hope next time we get together you’ll show me a little of that peach fuzz… xoxo regina
Wow is right. I feel such an appreciation for your posts and for you.
Thank you so much.
Looking forward to seeing you around Thanksgiving. I’m glad your hair producing cells are getting some respite from the chemo (as well as the rest of your body!)
Here’s hoping I have a mutant big sister after all! Just in time for Halloween, I hope!
love,
Kathleen
Joan and Joyce,
So very pleased with the latest report. While there is always something looming from one time to the next, you always seem to get a very positive and hopeful report along with it. As always, I so appreciate reading your blog pieces, and the picture along with this one is one of my favorites. I’d love to see a fuzzy head on prednisone scampering around the house. Enjoy your months, and perhaps we can see you during your great period if the timing works on both ends.
Hugs, Bonnie and Sheila
Hi Joyce, thank you for your latest post and photo. Like your other reader-devotees, I also really appreciate your sharing the hope, the peach fuzz, and everything else!