Perfectly Normal

Wednesday August 28, 1991

Today we heard the words we've been prayuing for. The results of my CAT scan on August 20--"PERFECTLY NORMAL". The cancer can no longer be seen on the CAT scan. Frank and I heard the news together--it was a message on the answering machine. We were not surprised, we were pleased. I said my prayer of thanks to God. Frank and I shared a hug to celebrate. I'm not sure I understand why God has chosen all of these last few months for me. I can only speculate. I like to think he wants me to be an example to others to show what prayer and positive thoughts can do. I have so many wonderful friends and family who were praying for me. This surely will speak to all of their hearts that God surely does answer prayer.

In some ways this whole ordeal seems like a bad dream. Did it really happen? Did I really have 2 cancerous tumors the size of oranges plus many small ones all over inside my body? I didn't see them. I didn't feel them. I haven't felt sick or pain since I came home from the hospital.

My life with cancer has been quite normal. I have felt wonderful. I've had plenty of energy and vitality. I've been very happy and very busy. The reality of it all is that these past four months have been nearly perfect. We had our 4 different weeks of vacation in May, June, July and August. We've been to Hawaii, North Carolina, Don Pedro Lake and an Alaskan cruise.

We had the pleasure of Justin with us for 2 weeks and Joey and Sara 2 days. We never stopped our social life including lots of square dancing. I just never felt sick except a couple of days due to chemotherapy. My chemo has gone extremely well. Every 28 days I spent 3-4 hours at the hospital, then out of sorts about 24 hours--no nausea after the second treatment (6 in all). No serious hair loss. I did lose some in the crown and above my ears.

I've been eating very well--too well, managing to gain 4-5 pounds from each vacation and not losing it. Today I weigh 20 pounds more than the day I came home from the hospital.

I will have one more (#6) chemo next week and then a hysterectomy 4 weeks later. I'll be in great shape for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

We (mostly Frank) have been very busy restoring the Lemona house. Gledhill house is rented now. We should have Lemona ready to show about September 15, and hopefully rented before my surgery October 4 or so.

Click, click, click as everything continues to fall into place.

Just as I said on my last post, Mom says the same thing here, that her life has been quite normal and happy, taking 4 vacations in 4 months, with plenty of energy. Finding out that the CAT scan was perfectly normal must have been very exciting, but it's hard for me to feel excited as I post this, knowing that she will be gone in less than 2 years. One thing that did surprise me about this entry in her journal is that there was an 11-day gap between her last entry in Journal #1 and her first entry in Journal #2. I always thought she never missed a day. Makes me wonder what happened in those 11 days. Perhaps not much to write about, I suppose.