I have been visiting. I have been to Washington State. I have been taking some classes at the art museum and the community college. I have been neglecting responsibilities and obligations. I have a new pet cat named Mabel. I have been to the Redwood Forest in California. I have a new bicycle. I have been to Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, Las Vegas. I still prefer my old Canon Powershot over that fancy Olympus digital SLR. I can still pass unrecognizable in my hometown. Life is good.
Update Cancer:
I have been checking in with my oncologist every 3 months for 17 months now. This is standard procedure for the first few years after successful treatment. I have been hoping to make it 2 years without disease progression. This seems to be the magic number for a favorable prognosis. I am not sure I can make it to 24 months. So close, yet so far.
You see, my tumor marker has risen again. It has been rising since March but only passed into the abnormal range in September, then rose 30 more points in November. CA-125 is a tumor marker, but it is also a general inflammatory marker protein. It can be present under conditions of infection, injury, allergy, and stress as well as cancer. It's kinda vague.
The action plan is to monitor my symptoms closely for 1 month, then recheck the CA-125. I need to listen to my body closely now. I need to watch for the primary ovarian cancer signs like bloating, pelvic/abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, urinary symptoms. I also need to be mindful of other signs, signs of metastasis, like shortness of breath or headache. I will keep track daily with a spiffy diary sheet I got from the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. You can get one here. You might have noticed that all those things I am watching are kinda vague.
Even though I am increasingly watchful, I am still hopeful. Hopeful for my immune system to beat the ugly beast down, again. Hopeful for my blood tests to return to normal without chemo. Hopeful that I can nurture my body with strong nutrients and my soul with tender care. Life is still good.
