Happy Imaging Day!
Oct. 23rd, 2009 10:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dr_pretentiousContrary to all the standard writing advice about cutting adverbs, I am especially pleased with two adverbs today, which I would not cut for anything: "significantly" and "conclusively." As in:
The main tumor is conclusively, significantly smaller.
The scans don't allow a precise measurement of how much smaller, but there's no question that the chemotherapy is working. The metastatic bits have stopped growing, too. The doctors are thrilled. Zach is doing better than they had imagined possible. Dr. Bigwig began delivering the news by delivering a bear hug. When Pru and Zach tried to thank him, he said, "This is not something I did. This is about the biology of the tumor, the biology of your body, your will to live, your support network, and God." Whether you've ever met my brother-in-law or not, you've been part of that support network, and if you've wished him well, maybe you've taken part in the last item on that list, too, if we define it broadly enough. Thank you.
Anyhow, to make the eventual surgery less risky, there'll be at least one more round of chemo before anything gets removed. Through the end of the holidays, chemotherapy becomes the new normal, now with added vindication for all that optimism we've been working up.
The main tumor is conclusively, significantly smaller.
The scans don't allow a precise measurement of how much smaller, but there's no question that the chemotherapy is working. The metastatic bits have stopped growing, too. The doctors are thrilled. Zach is doing better than they had imagined possible. Dr. Bigwig began delivering the news by delivering a bear hug. When Pru and Zach tried to thank him, he said, "This is not something I did. This is about the biology of the tumor, the biology of your body, your will to live, your support network, and God." Whether you've ever met my brother-in-law or not, you've been part of that support network, and if you've wished him well, maybe you've taken part in the last item on that list, too, if we define it broadly enough. Thank you.
Anyhow, to make the eventual surgery less risky, there'll be at least one more round of chemo before anything gets removed. Through the end of the holidays, chemotherapy becomes the new normal, now with added vindication for all that optimism we've been working up.
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no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 03:11 am (UTC)Still sending lots of healing energy!
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Date: 2009-10-24 03:16 am (UTC)This is wonderful, fantastic, marvelous news and we will keep up the praying here. I am happy for zach and for your entire extended family - while there is much still to go, that's the good news, isn't it?
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Date: 2009-10-24 04:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 04:37 am (UTC)Dance of joy and shouts of great gladness!
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Date: 2009-10-24 04:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 04:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 05:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 05:33 am (UTC)*dancesaroundtheroom*
I'll keep hoping, and praying!
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Date: 2009-10-24 05:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 06:07 am (UTC)We are both so, so, amazingly happy. We will keep praying and bloting.
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Date: 2009-10-24 06:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 02:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-24 05:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-25 04:52 am (UTC)I know this still means not out of the woods, but that's GREAT news. Best wishes.
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Date: 2009-10-25 10:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-30 04:17 am (UTC)