It has been a few years since I have posted anything here but recent events have me feeling the need to do just that.
In 2022 at one of my regular check-ins with my oncologist we had a conversation on my future and my continued need for medical care, it has been more than 5 years since my treatments and my regular tests and examinations have all been steadily improving. in fact, the past handful of results have been all in the normal range and my symptoms, such as they are, have all been improving to the point I only feel very mild fatigue a couple times a year and a short nap resolves that.
So the point? Well my oncologist said that I am very unlikely to require his services related to my Follicular NHL so if I was comfortable with it they would keep me on their patient list but I cold get my tests and examinations done by my nurse practitioner. Wow this was great news and hit me as hard as when I was first told of my diagnosis, I agreed and we close dour conversation and I started my walk home, called Lori to share the news and then let it sink in. I began to cry a bit over the news as it was not something I expected to here, in fact, I was expecting them to tell me it was time for my 10,000 KM top up so back to chemo you go.
Good news indeed! But how to celebrate? Fast forward to today, Lori and I along with a few friends have decided to go dry this month and raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society and participate in their DryFebruary campaign see dryfeb.ca for details, and if you are so inclined to donate go to www.dryfeb.ca/users/don-costello and donate what you are comfortable with. If you are reading this after February 2023 please just go to DryFeb.ca and donate on the main page.
thank you all for reading my blog and I hope some of you found a bit of inspiration and/or hope from my story and continued success as a cancer THRIVER.
Take care and be positive.
