Brain MRI Today!! ??

[NEDenise]

Hello Friends,
I'm headed out in a few minutes for my latest brain MRI to check for...
new lesions (God Forbid!!)
changes in the radiation necrosis (like it's almost gone would be my hope!!)
and I imagine I'll have a chance to check in on "mickey" too!

As usual, I'll request my own disk, so I can self diagnose before seeing the surgeon tomorrow. Probably not a good idea for most people, but it's served me well. It's always better for me to know, than to not know things.

I don't have a strong gut feeling one way or the other this time. Unusual for me. I guess we'll know soon enough.


Please pray, focus strength and golden healing energy... share some spare good karma... whatever you've been doing... it's working!!
Love to all of you!
I'll update as soon as I know something!
Thanks for checking in and caring about me... it means more than you probably realize.

Denise

[PatE]

Sending every ounce of healing energy and love your way today!

Many blessings to you
Pat

[nsebesta]

Sending healing prayers and praying for God's healing touch.
Nancy

['lizbeth]

NEDenise,

You need your head examined 'cause your hanging out with us!

Wow, that says something when you learn how to read your own MRI scan. I am wishing for the best for you.

It always feels like someone puts me in a tube and bangs on the outside with sticks for a brain MRI. Then grabs the entire machine and shakes it. Kind of like rolling the dice . . .

it is time for you to come up a winner!

[caya]

Denise sweetie I am sending good vibes for great results on your brain scan.

Let us know when you can.

all the best
caya

[Shobha]

Sending prayers and good wishes for good news!

hugs,
shobha

[JillaryJill]

Denise,
Heading up to Mayo this Thursday for an echo associated with the trial. Will be praying for you at the Catholic shrine is LaCrosse. We are stopping there on Thursday. It's a really inspirational place and they have an area dedicated to prayers for those that have cancer.

[cienna]

Sending positive energy and prayers!

love, cienna

[dawny]

Sending out good vibes to you, my friend!

Dawn xx

[Lovemyboys3]

Sending prayers and positive energy your way!

[Paty]

Prayers, prayers, prayers going your way Dennise. Love,

Paty

[Jackie07]

Sending prayers your way ...

[europa]

Sending prayers chica.

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Love, positive energy, healing vibes, prayers and a radiant white Light for you to bathe in... As always, Denise...

Time for you to catch a break. You're a really good kid with an attitude unlike any other, but it's enough w/all the dumbness you keep getting blasted at you!

XOXOXO,

Andi
PS -- I POSTED A NEW THREAD WITH "YOU" AND A FEW OTHERS ESPECIALLY IN MIND...

you must be exhausted hoping and praying, maybe this SIMPLE SOLUTION thread can help you get a hold of a way to alter outcomes and change the future! (Worked for me...)

[KDR]

Denise
Late in chiming in, busy today, and YOU keep busy until you get your GOOD news!
Love
Karen

[karen z]

Good thoughts coming your way.

[Laurel]

Hoping your noodle is clear and Mickey is fading away, a "minnie" Mickey (get it?) now. Love to you, Girlfriend!

[SusanN]

Have you tucked in my heart with prayers Denise!! Huge Hugs!!

[JennyB]

Hugs, prayers and lots of love xx

[Vicky]

Prayers for the waiting, for the hoping and for grace and love to surround you! I have my 3 month brain mri on Thursday and get results Friday the 13th :)

[Pamelamary]

Hoping all went well for you, and sending positive vibes your way - all the stronger for coming from New York at the moment!

[Rolepaul]

Waiting to hear how the results turned out. Nina is still clear on her MRIs for the brain and Spine. She was diagnosed November 2, 2009 with a large lesion on the brain, and December 15, 2011 with 25 to 30 lesions in the spine. I hope to hear that you do not have any disease progression into the CNS, but I want to give you hope that this is not the end of the fight. Zap them with Gamma knife, pull them out with surgery, or chemo them. Or better yet, don't have them get into your head. You can win.

Paul

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Loving, sunshine-drenched powerful healing light beaming at you yesterday and today.

Awaiting word...

Much love,
andi

[dearjilly]

I've been thinking about you.
Let us know Denise.
My MRI is Friday the 13th too!
WOW....you guys get results fast in the states.
xoxo Jill

[Mandamoo]

Adding my love and prayers too my friend.
A xx

[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!!

[Cath]

I am so happy for you!!!!

[Pamelamary]

Hooray!!!!!!!!!

[Vicky]

So grateful NEDdenise is backkkk!! Doing a lil' happy dance and flooded with pure joy this morning at reading your news. Prayers work! Enjoy this beautiful day!

[Lovemyboys3]

That's Wonderful news!!!

[nsebesta]

God is good! Thanks for letting us know. Enjoy dancing with NED!!!

[CarolineC]

Excellent! I too am thrilled with the results of your MRI! Let the healing continue!

[StephN]

NEDHEAD rather than DEADHEAD - but you may still listen to "The Grateful" if you want!

['lizbeth]

NEDenise,

That is amazing news. I am thrilled for you.

[yanyan]

Very happy for you !!!

[jaykay]

wonderful news!

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/gstres/celebrte/cheerleader-jump http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/peeps-emt/congrts/clips/congrats3-title-clip DENISE, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU! STABLE. STABLE. STABLE. NED IN THE HEAD.

I remember one onc telling me, I guess we can say you're in cautious remission. Paul and I lunged at that. Stable was the best any other onc could muster. And no one ever uttered NED. And I remained on Herceptin for 9 1/2 more yrs...

Well done, NEDenise!

BTW, I would never joke about being inscribed. It will be a sealed deal by sundown Saturday!

To keep my EF above 50% I took/take 2 Dr. Best's ARGENINE -- slow release and immediate release. That stuff works great! Just saying... Vitacost.com is among my best buds.

LOVE YOU, dear Sister! http://cdn-cf.aol.com/se/clip_art/peeps-emt/fun-syn/clips/yeahyou-clip !!!!!!!!!

Andi

[PatE]

Yay Yay, hope you have given up your normal walk for a NED dance for good. Such awesome news!!
Love and heres to many,many more blessings your way
Pat

[SusanN]

YEAH Denise!!! Truly God hears our prayers...we've just got to keep knockin' on Heaven's Doors!! <3

[ammebarb]

Yes! Yes! Yes! You've made my day, Miss Denise!

[Lien]

Fabulous! Doing my Happy Dutch Clogdance to celebrate your fantastic news.

Love

Jacqueline

[dawny]

NEDenise
Fantastic news, so happy for you, its time you had a break!

Dawn xx

[Coux92]

Hip hip hooray! God is great... So super happy for you!

[KsGal]

Im so sorry I missed this thread. I should have known you had scans coming up, we always have them around the same time. Having said that...Hooray!!!!! happy dance, happy dance. Gosh, Im happy for you.
And high five! For two stage IV girls with the dreaded brain mets, we are kicking some butt. I hope you take a little bit of time to have a celebration! I had a glass of wine, which is living large for me these days! lol
As always, sending prayers for continued healing and lots of bright positive energy.

[dearjilly]

YAY YAY YAY!!!!! whooohooooo.......Love this post, love the news, love all around this community, and to you Denise!
Big smile on my face while reading the results!

[caya]

Thrilled for you Denise - I'm sure NEDenise is back! The Book of Life for sure has your name in it (after all, Andi peeked :)!)

all the best
caya

[sassy]

Fantastic!!!!!!

Maybe Tiptoe needs to meet Mickie to invite him out of your head!

[KDR]

OH, YES!! The way it should be for now and FOREVER!

Relish in the news, Denise!


Love
Karen

[LoisLane]

Oh Denise I am sooooo happy to read this today!!!

[JennyB]

Yay hooray NeDenise xx

[Becky]

Yippee for you. Enjoy the day

[NEDenise]

Thanks Everybody!
Time to work on raising my stamina and dropping some pounds!

:) Denise

[KG1993]

awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jackie07]

Congratulations! Denise. We are very happy for you. I'm sure you will be successful in dropping those pounds as well. You go, girl!

[NEDenise]

Friends with scans today... Friday the 13th...
SOUNDS LIKE GOOD LUCK TO ME!!!

Fingers crossed for excellent news!
Love to all!
Denise

[Bunty]

You beauty Denise! I'm just back from holidays and catching up on updates, and you have made my day. Congratulations.
Marie xx

[Pray]

Priceless! How absolutely wonderful! Tears are rolling down my cheeks! I'm always praying for you Denise and your beautiful family! Gods blessings are upon you. Peace Lil Sis

[NEDenise]

Welcome back Marie!
Missed you!
I'm so happy to have made your day...
which is really tomorrow because of the time change...
but 30 days hath September...
And i before e except after c...
e-i-e-i-o...
Well... as long as it made one of your days... that's good enough for me!

Hope your holidays were epic!
Love and hugs
Denise
PS - stop over at the SCRABBLE thread someday soon... we're stalled and need your word-wizardry! :)

[mamacze]

YOU just made another friends day!! Even though I am a month late reading this incredible news....I am gasping for breath after happy dancing around my kitchen...YIPPEE - YAHOO!!! LOVE hearing your PROGRESS!!! XOXO