Happy Day

Well, what is the newest news???? It is actually good, no great! This week I had an MRI of my brain and a chest CT to see what those crazy tumors are up to now. I thought they were complicating things, but that isn't the case this time. The three tumors that were left in my brain and radiated all summer have actually died and SHRANK. Yup, they are dead and shrinking. And, yes that means that there is less brain in there (thanks to my sister for pointing that out). The one tumor on my lung that was radiated also is shrinking. The measurements showed "significant" shrinkage. I still have several other tumors in my lung, but the CT showed that those tumors have not changed at all. No new growth or anything. This is all fantastic news! I haven't heard the shrink word in all 7 years that we have been doing this! I want to make it very clear that I am NOT in remission because of the tumors that are stable in my lung. That is okay though, because if I were to be in remission there would be a chance of the cancer coming back bigger and more agressive. So, this is the best news ever.


I still have headaches, preassure in my head and simply feel drained and yucky, but docs seem to think that is due to the seizure medicine that I am on right now. I will be seeing a neurologist next week to find out about either getting off of this medicine or changing it to a different one. I am still burnt and healing from radiation too. So, eventhough good news, my body is still healing from the past year. For now, I will begin weaning off of the steroids and I am not doing any other treatment until necessary. I will have scans done again in May, if the ramaining tumors happen to grow at all, that is when we will discuss starting a new treatment.


I owe a LOT of thank yous! All of you readers, prayer worriers, friends, people who drive me around, bring us food, support our family with love, giving extra smiles and lots of hugs, so many poeple have helped make this past year much easier to bear for my whole family. You don't know how much we appreaciate your love and compassion. I also wanted to send a special thanks to Dr. Scott Schuetze, Katie and their team for everything!


I have been down a lot this year, I even think I may have gone into a depression spell, but now that I look at it, we were right all along. God has a plan for all of us! He knew that all of this would happen. He knew that something good would come from this. I have learned that even when we second guess God, he is still here for us. Isn't that amazing? He is forever faithful!


Anyway, I will keep you posted. Oh yea, as of right now I haven't had a seizure in 4 weeks. At this rate, I should be able to drive distances by summer :) I feel like I am getting my life back finally. It is sad to think that I lost it, but as I always say, bad things are just another bump in the road. This past year has been a mountain rather than a bump, but I can see the sun finally. I owe a lot of this to all of you for your love! Even if you are reading this and thinking that you are not one that I am thankful for, don't believe it. I am thankful for you just for wondering about me!


Sorry to be winded. I will be working on a new writing project now, so keep checking back.


Happy Days!!!!!!!





Heather Shannon