FAB News!

Greetings,

I just returned from the doctor's office and I am thrilled to report that the biopsy from last week was benign--YEA! YEA! YEA!

I am absolutely ecstatic about this "best possible outcome" according to Dr. Wonderful (a.k.a. Jonathan Friedberg.) The blessing of all of this is that I don't have to face any more lymphoma treatment--at least for now. The spot that has shown up on the CT and PET scan will be examined again in three months just to make sure there's no funny business.

The last ten days waiting for the biopsy results have been pure hell--but at the same time, I have had a sense of knowing that I would be okay, no matter what. Even so, I was still very anxious and upset. The lesson in this for me continues to be that I can only do my part--I can't control the world or, in this case, the biopsy results. I'm so grateful for all the support and prayers that have made this cancer trip a manageable journey.

Its said that cancer changes you. From my vantage point right now, I must say that feels true. I am different and, in some fundamental way, I think, richer--not to say that I wouldn't have picked the shorter line at Wegmans' in a heart beat!

Take care,

Ellie

Kicked it to the sidewalk!

I wanted to let you know that I saw the doctor yesterday and unfortunately there is still a spot that is concerning. It's amazing because all the other areas responded very well to the treatment and there is only this one obstinate growth that showed up on the recent CT and PET scans. I'll have a core needle biopsy next week to determine exactly what is going on. There is a small chance that it isn't lymphoma so I need the test to figure things out. Once I know more I’ll work with Dr. Friedberg on next steps. He was still positive and said that there were things that can be done so that's the good news.

As you can imagine, I am extremely ticked! I was so ready to be done with this lymphoma stuff. It's ironic because I was just telling Julie the other night that I was really feeling "back on my game" with my energy and concentration returning to pre-treatment levels.

Julie is looking down the barrel of her last week of radiation—YEA! At this point her skin is burned and raw in some places so it's pretty uncomfortable. She's also dealing with lymphedema--swelling of the arm and is getting treatment for it that includes bandaging the arm daily and a special massage technique to redirect the fluids that build up in the arm. Pretty yucky stuff, but she is hanging tough.

Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support. It means a great deal to me and Julie. We’re not out of cancer jail yet, but hopefully we will be soon. I'll be in touch when I know more.

Take care,