Yesterday, I was introduced to NED! "No evidence of disease"!!!!
I saw Dr. F for my results of my latest round of scans and immediately burst into tears when they told us that the scans looked great and that I was still boring just like 6 months ago. :) But, what shocked me even more was the fact that the bone scan said there was no evidence of metastatic disease in my bones! Well, hello there NED!!!! Now, let me please explain that Dr. F doesn't put a whole lot of stock in those words. He said he doesn't get "overly excited or impressed" and that these scanning machines are not perfect. He says it's much like looking down from an airplane and trying to see a dandelion in a field. It's near impossible to spot just one but if there are a lot of them in a big patch, you can see them easily. So, he basically means I still could have little isolated cancer cells in my body but right now there isn't enough of them to be detected on the scans. I have always understood this and I am okay with that. I understand that sometimes people hang their hats on "NED" and then they have a scan a few months later that shows a change and they have a huge let down after feeling like they were as close to "cancer free" as possible. I truly understand that and I have always been happy to hear that I am "stable"...but for right now...for just a few days (or months)...I am going to be extremely thrilled that I am hanging out with NED! I know it doesn't mean I am cancer free or that I am cured. It means that right now my medicine continues to work and keep me in remission. It means that I can continue with my current treatment. It means that my bones, although still damaged, are healing. And most importantly, it means that I can continue having a really amazing quality of life. The few side effects I experience from my meds (hot flashes, fatigue, joint aches) are so minimal in the scheme of things and I don't let a day go by where I am not grateful for that. There are still little things we will keep an eye on. My platelets are on the low side and I have been having a lot of issues with bruising. If those continue to drop, I will have to have a bone marrow biopsy to see if my meds are impacting my body's platelet production. There are a few other minor issues I have been having but nothing big and nothing that Dr. F is really worried about. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of your support, love and prayers! I couldn't be happier and couldn't be more grateful. I do believe in the power of prayer - I believe in God's ability to work miracles and I am not giving up the faith that maybe there is one in store for me. It has taken me this long to truly be able to even put those words out in the universe, but maybe - just maybe, I could live a long, healthy life in complete remission without this awful beast robbing me of my future. For now, I am believing that this can happen for me and I will continue to fall asleep each night with a smile on my face...dreaming of NED. ;) With a grateful and overjoyed heart, Meg xoxo
14 Comments
Mom
6/14/2013 12:13:31 pm
I love you and NED !!!
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Kiki
6/14/2013 02:45:18 pm
This might be my favorite post EVER! Ditto to what Momma Jan said, love NED and love you! xo
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Deb & Bob Hart
6/14/2013 03:17:31 pm
So I checked earlier today to see if you had a new post and didn't see anything and just happened to do a refresh tonite and were glad to see the positive results. We are so happy for you, Mike and your family (and NED). Miracles do happen!
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Sally
6/15/2013 04:25:23 am
Ned is the most wonderful name in the universe!!! I check your blog everyday and hold my breath....I just had the BIGGEST exhale that you can ever imagine! Enough said! Enjoy your summer!!!
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Chelki
6/16/2013 03:00:43 am
YES!!! So happy for you, Mike and your family! I hope NED sticks around for a long, long time! :)
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Elizabeth
6/16/2013 07:48:20 am
Meg,
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Barb A.
6/17/2013 05:45:01 am
I was so thrilled to hear your good news, Meghan. Hurray for NED!!Love, Barb
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Meredith
6/18/2013 05:26:51 am
Hooray for NED!! Don't we love him?? I only had the privilege of meeting NED for a few years when I was younger, but I'm hopeful I'll meet him again some day. ;-)
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Patty L
6/18/2013 10:46:44 am
AMAZING! God is good and so is NED!!!! You are a miracle! So incredibly HAPPY & OVERJOYED for you & your darling hubby! Time to celebrate in your new beautiful home! Love you guys!!! Will keep the prayers coming! XO!!!
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Leen!
6/20/2013 02:35:31 pm
AWESOME, Shep!!!! So glad to hear the good news!!! Keep it coming!
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Diane Daley
6/21/2013 07:30:44 am
Becca told me that your news was so positive but just now got on the blog site. I am so pleased and definitely believe in miracles! I continue to keep all of you in my prayers.
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Cathy Piecuch
6/29/2013 01:32:15 am
Meg,
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Melissa Dinslage
7/1/2013 09:44:25 am
So thrilled to read this! Loving your Instagram feed. Will always keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
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