Today’s update is good! My bloodwork this week was “fantastic” according to the doctor (last time it was “spectacular” so I like her superlatives). You might recall I mentioned earlier that the CA-125 marker is the primary tumor marker for ovarian cancer – if the measurement is above 35 it indicates growth and active cancer. Below 35 is normal. At diagnosis in late March my CA-125 was 550. This week it was 33!! NORMAL!! Being in the normal range means that the cancer is not growing or active in my body. At all. Nada. Zilch.
Now. Before I start saying all the cautionary things that my brain wants to say because it thinks I shouldn’t get too excited about preliminary positive news… let me say this: I attribute the lack of active cancer in my body to chemotherapy, yes. But I also know to the very core of my being that it is also because of the massive prayers, good wishes, encouragement, care, delicious meals, unexpected bouquets, positivity, and LOVE that surrounds me, and no one can measure that with a simple number! I believe it is also due to the work I’m doing in giving my body the very best shot at healing – diet, exercise, rest, meditation, and gratitude are high priorities right now. RECEIVING all the love is also a priority (I see a blog coming on that topic alone). How do you measure the power of all of those “details” that are helping me heal? You can’t. And yet we know that God promises to work EVERY detail of our lives into something good!
Ok. The cautionary things: I don’t know if the cancer is gone. Remember the request for prayer that the cancer just melt away? I believe it’s possible that much of it has. Maybe all. Dare we hope? I also don’t know that it won’t start growing again. The PET scan on June 18 will tell us what remains. Surgery is June 20th, followed by three more rounds of chemotherapy, and there is talk of staying on chemo for life (which I told the doctor I wasn’t prepared to talk about just yet, thank you very much). I am not out of the woods. YET.
For now, just know that the details of my particular journey are making a massive difference. I feel better than I have in months. I have my old energy back (except for the days immediately following a chemo infusion), and I believe love itself is healing my body.
That’s my update. I know many of you have massive amounts of personal struggles happening in your own lives as well. I continue to pray for you because what you are going through matters. We are all in this together — and that is an immeasurable thing.
My daughter keeping me company on Round 3 — how lucky am I?
Kick it with Charla 
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