What A Pleasant Surprise

This last week was a pretty good one. On Tuesday and Wednesday I felt about as good as I've felt in several months. I felt downright normal. My stamina at work isn't great yet, but I felt pretty good during the time I did go into the office.

On Wednesday, I had my first PET scan to see how the treatment is progressing. When I went in for chemo on Thursday, Dr. Nichols told me that the tumor had already shrunk to less than half it's largest size. Terrific news. I told him I felt great and he told me that I looked great. My white blood cell counts were off the charts, indicating that I seem to be bouncing back really well from the chemo.

Amidst all the research and homework I've done about cancer, the one thing that has confused me is the concept of chemo "cycles." Originally, I was told I'd be doing 4 cycles of the ABVD regimen, which would take 4 months. In the ABVD regimen, you get some chemo on day 1 of the cycle and more chemo on day 8 of the cycle; you then get days 9-28 to rest and that completes the cycle. So when I was told I now needed 6 cycles of the R-CHOP regimen, I assumed it would take 6 months. And even though I've been gearing up for 6 months, it didn't really make sense.

It didn't make sense because they kept referring to the R-CHOP cycle being 3 weeks. Well, obviously, 3 weeks times 6 cycles does not equal 6 months (it's a little over 4 months). But because the ABVD cycle involved 2 treatments, I assumed that the R-CHOP cycle did as well. In other words, I assumed I needed 12 treatments. On top of all that, I've been on an accelerated 2 week cycle instead of 3 weeks. As you can see, the math just doesn't add up anywhere. So, I asked for clarification on Thursday and the news was very good:

6 cycles means 6 treatments. I've now completed 3 treatments. I'm half done. And I'll finish the last three within the next 6 weeks. I'll be done by October!! How awesome is that? My hope for the last several weeks was that I could beat this cancer on an accelerated schedule - specifically, I was hoping that I could be done by Christmas. Due to my ignorance over the definition of a cycle, I got the pleasant surprise I was hoping for.

I now feel like a snowball rolling down a hill. I'm bouncing back faster from the chemo, I'm getting stronger and I'm already half done witht the treatments. I don't mean to sound arrogant (especially because I was pretty sick last night and I really don't feel all that well today), but I'm brimming with confidence that I can cruise through the rest of this and get on with my life.

With all of this good news, I would be a fool if I didn't acknowledge that a big reason that snowball is rolling so well is the support, help, service, prayers of so many people. My prayers and your prayers have been answered. I really believe that. I can't help but believe that. I know God, our Heavenly Father, lives and hears and answers our prayers. I know we don't always get the answers we want. I don't know for sure why my prayers and your prayers on my behalf have been answered in such wonderful ways. But I'm grateful - I'm profoundly grateful.

The ride ain't over yet - I have to remember that. But I feel really good about where I'm heading...