It's not a tumor!

After waiting and waiting, and playing phone tag with the doctor, I finally found out that my test results came back negative for an active tumor. And the total surprise was that the tumor was not even where the previous doctors said it was, which would have been a pretty bad situation. It's actually above the adrenal gland in some tissue, not in a vital organ. And they think it's not cancer but a granuloma. Because of the location, it can be safely biopsied they say. So I'm being referred to thoracic surgeon for further testing. Now I play the health insurance/referral game to get into another doctor. But I will take that any day over the alternative.

I can't even express in words how relieved I feel.

This tumor has been a such a game of Where's Waldo. So glad they've finally figured it out to some extent. My family and friends, as well as others through this blog, have been so supportive, I just want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. When you go through such a scare, it's amazing how people come together to give a hug or a kind word, or listen when you need it.

As part of my job I have to occasionally interview people for different stories that will be written and put in our company newsletter or sent out to the media. A couple weeks ago, I interviewed an older woman who finished a battery of treatments for an aggressive form of breast cancer and was declared in remission. She went through the gamut of treatment....surgery, chemo and over 30 sessions of radiation therapy. Mentally she was the equivalent of a champion marathon runner, determined and focused with such a positive attitude it was contagious. She told me about a sign that inspired her that the doctor had posted in the clinic where she received her chemo. It said "Cancer Ain't for Sissies."

I love that phrase because it sums up the inner strength you have no choice but to pull together for yourself. You have to make yourself a stronger person. Dealing with the threat of death shears away all the bullshit and makes you fight for what's most important and care only about what's most important (which is usually what gets lost in our busy lives). You can allow the superficial crap we all get caught up in to fall away without any hesitation. I gotta tell ya, I am by nature an extremely anxious and worrisome personality.....don't know why....but I am. And this whole experience, while I wouldn't want to go through it again, has really helped calm me down with the day to day issues that I normally would have gotten worked up about.

My friend, MCH, beat cancer in her late teens and as she says, "made it her bitch". I love that one too. She cracks me up because she just turned 30 and wonders if she's accomplished enough in her life so far. She seems to be a little let down because she's not gone as far - career and school-wise as she imagined she would be. She's lived overseas, earned her masters at a young age, beat cancer and has had so many interesting and wonderful life experiences. She's married to a really great guy and has a caring and fun-loving family. She's overcome lots of hurdles where others would have fallen. I laugh because lots of people would look at her life and wish they had accomplished half as much as she has just so far. So to you, MCH, happy belated birthday (even though you know I did call you on the official day) and don't you ever doubt the path you've taken in life, because you are a success!