[NEDenise]

My Friends...
May I quote my neurologist?

"I am thrilled with the results of your MRI!"

Yay! Such a relief!
And this from a man who doesn't look like he 'thrills' easily!

So, ironically he didn't have access to the actual images yesterday due to a computer system issue. But he did have the report from the radiologist who read the scans.
And I, of course, had already viewed the images and self-diagnosed the previous evening.
Having never actually done a residency in either radiology or neurosurgery,
I was willing to withhold judgement until the actual medical professionals weighed in.
(Okay... so I've never done a residency in anything...
but I'd like to see one of these guys teach a 6 year old to read!
Or a 13 year old to gasp, "I love Algebra!" We all have our gifts!)

But I digress... the specifics...
~no new lesions

~dare I say it?... NED in the brain?

Oh My God!! Thank you! Thank you!
No one actually said NED, but they never do...
I'm figuring since in June all my body scans were clear...
and now two brain MRIs in a row show no evidence of disease...
don't I get to claim to be NEDenise again for a while?
If I'm thinking that through wrong...
someone please tell me before I get too excited...
only to crash back to reality.

~necrosis stable in size

~less dense, and not drawing 'extra blood'

~ Mickey (AKA my brain stem) looked a little less 'squashed' to me too

~theGoo Gobbler looked exceptionally happy (that's the grasshopper-y guy)

~and if can capture the image from the disk, I'll post it...
I swear there's a new player in the game that my son is certain must be my Chemo Ninja!
(I thought it looked a little demonic...
but my sweet son stated emphatically,
"Mom, what would a demon be doing in YOUR brain...
ninja's look pretty scary too."
Blessings on top of blessings!)

So... the plan is to go back to my ins co, and petition for more Avastin.
Since it's working, I'm hoping it won't be a stretch.

(Even the dreaded tumor board agrees with me now!
In fact I've authorized my neurologist,
who BTW chairs the committee and has been a truly unwavering advocate for what I want/need...
he has been commissioned to convey the message, "Ha ha - ha ha ha... I was right".)

The key now is to pray that the Avastin keeps working...
that Herceptin and lapatnib keep working...
that my heart/EF stays above 50%...(it was a little too close for comfort this time)
and I finally say goodbye to dex for a while.

Still a lot of 'stuff' to bug The Big Guy about... but it seems to be working!
The very best of good luck wishes, and LOTS of prayers headed out for all of you with scans coming up!
I'm so touched by your prayers and good wishes for me. Trust me when I tell you that when I count my blessings... I count you guys twice!!

Love to all!
Denise

PS - Andi... I thought you were joking... but maybe my name really is inscribed in "The Book of Life" this year!!