Grateful to you All!

I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of your good wishes. I know I'm not alone and yet, can't seem to shake the feeling that I am.

Pewter, yes there will be a PET scan if the CAT scan shows nothing. Your CEA remaining at 7, to me, is good news as you are obviously doing well and yet CEA remains elevated. Thank you for giving me hope.

pjenks, I will try my hardest to keep positive and thank you for your prayers. You are dealing with a lot yourself and I can well relate. I go with my mom tomorrow to her Onc to get latest result of PET for lung cancer. God, please give me strength and knowing that there are more people out there, like me, dealing with several fronts at the same time, does give me some comfort although I wish from the bottom of my heart that none of them were dealing with these kind of conditions.

Andreae, you are such a dear, and for your youth, have such insight. Thanks for your inspirational story and no, you did not give me false hope, but true hope. You hang tough girl, okay. I want only good news from you.

Dear, dear Sponge...I won't get all doom and gloom on you (lol)...well, maybe just a little. It's just real tough...not that it's any easier for any of you. And thank you too for your CEA lesson...and yes, a new lab did do the work from previous CEA. I'll remember that, even if I still worry.

Stacy, you are an inspiration and I'll keep your points of advice definitely in mind. Hall full cup is not, I'm sorry to say, my personality...I'm more of an half-empty type person and I kid you not when I say I hate being this way. But I'm learning and I won't be throwing in any towel any time real soon.

Emily, you don't know how your words hit home with being blessed that your tumor never gave off markers...especially considering that many times they can be false and it's real easy to work yourself into a frenzy over something that could be nothing. I've already juiced Bert to death but will most definitely continue nourishing him with good nutrition as well as a lot of love.

Judiths, I do, thank God, have someone nearby...my mom. I just don't want to over-burden her too much as she is fighting her own battle against this ugly disease called cancer and I know first hand that no matter what kind of cancer it is, it's a raging war. But she is here and God willing, will be with me a while longer yet. I also have a wonderful son who has the most care-free, optimistic attitude one can imagine. He's scared....I know he is, but is also a tremendous source of comfort. And I have Bert...who throught all of this, remains so much more stronger than me and who is carrying on his daily routine as if there is nothing going on. Good for him...it rubs off, you know.

Anyway, I will know so much more next Thursday when second CEA test at CAT scan results are in and we meet with Dr. Lenz. What frightens me is Dr. Lenz's own interpretation that he believes it is tumor growth from a potential recurrence. But the key word here is POTENTIAL. The impression that I get from Dr. Lenz is that he just doesn't mess around and goes after everything aggressively. He'd rather be proven wrong and tell the patient that then paint a pretty picture only to have to be the bearer of bad news when he's given false hope. He says it as he sees it, allowing for margin of error on his part. I will keep you all posted and most definitely in my prayers.

Hope everyone has good, smooth sailing days ahead.

Hugs,
Monika