It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.  Charles Dickens English Novelist 1812-1870


One of my most favourite books.  Ever.


I was in Grade 11 with my best friend Dee.  She had convinced me to take Advanced English.  I was staring at the cover of the book, A Tale of Two Cities, most daunting of things.  I didn't think I could do it, She thought I could.


It was the beginning of a wonderful journey.  She really showed me -- that I had what it took, but I lacked the confidence.  Over the years, I've learned daily, that I could.  That I have what it takes.


Today was one of those days.  I was feeling overwhelmed, I felt like I got hit by a truck, all day wishing I could just be in bed.  I couldn't I had an appointment with my Medical Oncologist, who surprisingly is like hanging out with Dee.  She calms me and speaks so much like Dee I feel myself relaxing in front of her....like my strain is melting.


So this is what she said:


My Pet Scan confirmed the cancer in my leg, but that after one month of treatment, the 3 lymph nodes that are affected are 1/2 the size they were.  Dr. Fitzgerald believes my treatment is going well.  She will send me for another Pet Scan in the end of June -- she is expecting it to come back "cold" which will be followed by one more round of chemotherapy then I will be on a recall every 3-4 months.


If the Pet Scan comes back "hot" I will do another round of chemotherapy followed by radiation.  She doesn't feel that this will be the case.


The Pet Scan did find a hot spot in my thyroid.  She stated that now that its been found it needs to be followed, but she didn't feel it was a problem.  My thyroid ultrasound showed that there was a nodule there, but it was smaller than 1 cm, over 1 cm they would've done a biopsy.  They feel that it's just a incidental thing, that they will follow it closely.


I am not concerned about that.


We discussed the post-prednisone crash that I had, and we decided to wean me off the medications.  I was a little concerned about the 'wean' as I have heard that it can happen over 2 weeks.  I didn't like that idea at all.  So it will be 3 days, followed by a less severe crash.


The only other thing we changed was the medication that is making my hands and feet numb.  Dr. Fitzgerald has decided to back that medication off by half.


To feel my hands and feet -- amazing.


Kent is now home, puttering in the kitchen making dinner.  Max is somewhere in the house--Melissa is just finishing off her shift at Murchie's.  Life is good, despite my nausea and fatigue, I can honestly say, it's all good.


It is the best of times.