Significant Improvement? I like this!

Well, the results of the scan are in. To be exact, they were in about 20 minutes after I had it. I was lucky enough to have it in the clinic where my oncologist works and I receive treatment, so she literally had it handed to her after I was done. There was a message waiting on our voicemail when we got home. She said there was 'significant improvement in the liver and the right breast' and that the mets on the bone were 'stable but that is ok and she expected that' and to end she said she was 'very excited'. So are we!!!!! I have to say, I was a bit overwhelmed this morning. There was a mix up in the care of the girls, so at the last minute, literally, we ended up packing them in the car and this CT scan became a family event. I was nervous, scared, excited - all those things. And in the end, it turned out perfectly. I did not call her back to discuss further, we figured she really gave us everything we needed on the voicemail message, and we would just enjoy this. I won't see her at my next treatment as she is out of town, I'll see a colleague of hers, I'll see the the following treatment, and we'll discuss her thoughts on treatment time frame at that point. I'm going to do whatever she wants me to - and although I'm eager to have this conversation, I can certainly wait with this information for the time. It's so good to know that what we've been doing is working - significantly - my new favorite word!

On the down side, I wasn't feeling very good today. This is really bizarre, but the hair in my nostrils has fallen out - so that has created quite a sensitive nose bed for me on many levels - who knew the purpose these serve until you don't have any!! My nose runs ALL THE TIME!! - and I've had daily nose bleeds and sinus issues as of late - so that has been really uncomfortable, combined with the constipation and the lovely side effects that go along with that (too graphic to discuss, let's just say it's WAY more painful then pregnancy) then my tummy was upset from the crap I had to drink for the scan. All these combined made up my afternoon, and part of me wondered about making it through the next 6 - 8 - 12 months. I know I'll do it - I have to - but I just looked at it with tears in my eyes, wondering what it could possibly be like. Then my sister called me. I shared with her the news and she congratulated me and began to tell me things she has never said to me before. She told me how strong I was, that I was the strongest person she knew, that she was proud of me, that I was responsible for this as much as the doctors and medical staff, just amazing stuff she shared with me, and so much of what I needed to hear. My sister and I don't speak that way to each other very often, so this was a bit out of the norm, but so appropriately placed within my day and raised my spirits more than I can explain. It literally pulled me out of this sick funk I was in, and hurled me into celebration. I am so blessed to have my sister in my life, I just wish she were closer!!!! (she lives back east in MA) I thank God for many things today - for my life, my family, my friends, for my husband and beautiful little girls who brought much joy to some faces at the cancer clinic in Sedona today - so appropriate that they were with us today. It was how it was supposed to be. We celebrated with pizza tonight (big night out for the Mountcastles eh?) and vanilla ice cream w/ chocolate sauce and peanuts - all here at home. Yea Us!

I am so blessed. Thank you all for your prayers, they worked!!!! Keep em coming please! We're on our way - and if cancer thought the game was on before - then just look out, we're just getting started now. Game On!