Drum roll .....Great News for a change - sorely needed....

I've told the few people who were aware of what was going on so decided to go ahead and make a positive post for a change.  As you know, last Wednesday, we met with my Radiation Oncologist - Dr. Brizel.

He had the resident, Dr. Barkdoll, take a picture of an area in my throat that concerned him and when he showed it to us too - we were all three alarmed.

BigD and I said - boob tree - which I'm sure went right over their heads but that is what it looked like. There is a tree down

the street that looks like a pregnant woman with boobs. SO - drumroll - we met with Dr. Scher on Tuesday morning for the biopsy. He numbed the back of my throat with spray and shot novocaine into the area of the two nodes. While waiting, I asked him what the plan was if it came back positive and Dr. Brizel had changed the radiation to include this place. He explained that Dr. Brizel would make a special effort to zap these two places strongly after which he, Dr. Scher, would perform surgery to get the rest. I felt much better - a plan of action. He wasn't going to be in town and didn't expect to hear anything before next week so we have been in that hurry up and wait mode again. Today Dr. Brizel met with me after my 7th - count it - SEVEN-th radiation treatment. He told me he wanted to let me know right away that the biopsy came back negative - granular scar tissue. WOO HOO! I hugged him of course. He was so pleased. He stressed to me how anxious he, Dr. Barkdoll and Dr. Scher had all been. So I told him that was why I loved my team so much - they really care. He and Scher evidently pushed it through STAT and I'm so grateful. Then he looked in my mouth to check an area (same area as original pain) that was hurting as of this morning. He said it was very raw from the radiation and gave me some suggestions including taking my pain meds. So I took one Oxycodone and hope it will be enough. Don't really want to be "drugged" again unless it is absolutely necessary. You would be amazed by how much adding or taking away one med affects the rest. SO - I did well in the mask, listened to James Taylor, got GREAT news, have a pain med working on me - oh yeah - I'm probably feeling happier right now than I have in a long time. Was hoping to write some letters so I could report a little time this month but not sure that will happen - we'll see. On the way home from my biopsy yesterday, we drove past the KH at 12:05 so I asked BigD to pull in so I could say HEY to all my pioneer partners as they came back for lunch. It was SO good to see them. Just got a call from one of my spiritual daughters who heard the great news and she made me feel sooooo good. Yeah --- – let’s color today - a good day.