Yes I Rang That Bell

 

In case you've been wondering why I haven't posted as much over the last month or so, there was a reason- cancer.  This process began back last fall, when I had my regular check-up, and the lab report came back with a possible problem.  My general practitioner did a test there in the office, and decided to refer me to a urologist, one nearby.  Those appointments can be hard to get, so I didn't get to see him until sometime in December.  He saw the lab results, and scheduled me for a biopsy, which happened back in February.  At the time, he said things looked good, but when we finally met in his office in March, he gave me the bad news. Out of 12 samples, cancer showed up in at least 4, verified by two other specialists in this field.  So he referred me to an oncologist, also nearby, and gave me a book to read. I'm good at reading.  I met with the oncologist for the first time in April, and she agreed that it could be treated, and possibly cured.  Meanwhile, this is about the time we had the Open Studio event in our building, which seemed to me to be quite successful.  (50 people made the trip down the basement and into my space, far more than the last time we did one of these) 

On May 1st, the state shifted me to Medicare, and all my doctors have been informed of my insurance changes.  Hope it works out, but so far no crazy bills.  It took three trips to the oncologist back in early May before they were satisfied with my internal organs, and could decide on a treatment.  That started in mid-May, radiation treatments every weekday (except holidays when they were closed) which were dependent on me following all kinds of prep.   The ride down there (local roads and highways that I have driven many times for jobs I have had) took longer than the radiation treatments themselves, but I had to get 28 of them.  At least they were painless.  (along the way, there was that Art on the Porch event, which included some people who had come to the Open Studio and some I knew from the building, so I figured I should go see their displays)  The radiation treatments were in the early afternoon, so I couldn't really get to the Studio too often.  Besides, I had nothing in particular that needed working on.  I finished the block I had started for the Open Studio, so I got one block drawn, cut, and printed while I was having my cancer treated.  I also had multiple MRI's, x-rays, a CT scan, and whatever that radiation machine did to me every day I was there.  One of those scans turned up another possible issue, but it has since been decided that it's not an issue right now.  No further tests, come back in a year for another scan.  I will get some more scans in early July, but that is for my unrelated brain surgery, which was revealed to be benign.

Things could have been worse.  So far relatively few side effects, and those have been manageable.  Ideally those are also temporary, but I won't know for a few more months.  No chemotherapy was called for, which is good as I hear it is difficult.   (one of my college housemates, my same year, has been dealing with it for her own cancer diagnosis in recent months) Also no hormones, and no medications/prescriptions, so I don't have those expenses or complications.  

Am I cured?   I have no idea.  My cancer was in an early stage, and located in one area of the organ.  Scans indicated that it hadn't spread to any other organs, and the biopsy showed that it wasn't a particularly aggressive cancer, so we are hoping the radiation treatments knocked it out, as they were supposed to do.  However, from what I have read, I won't be considered cancer free until 5 years of tests show that it's gone.  So technically I am not a survivor yet.  I meet with my various doctors in July, but I don't think the first lab test is for 6 months.  What I do know is that my treatments and the preps I did each day are now over.  Everyone at the place wished me luck, I rang the bell, received a certificate of appreciation for having survived the treatment.  I do look forward to not having to go there tomorrow. 

I should be back in the Studio in a few days, and ready to start the next project.