biopsy report
All three biopsies came back negative!!!
So it was back to the hospital this morning with Pipocas. I was supposed to get my belly looked at again after last week’s emergency trip due to having an infection. I was worried because something gross had ruptured through the incision and was looking rather nasty, but it turned out not to be anything serious and I was even told I could stop taking the antibiotics now. And while there I asked Amazing Nurse Person if she could check and see if my biopsy reports had come back …
She told me that I would have to talk to one of the liver surgeons (what are they really called?) because she needed authorization to give me that information, and she suggested that I go over to the ward and see if anyone was there. And so that’s what Pip and I did and we found Gonzalo (aka Dr Dreamy) at the doctor’s station. He had a look on the computer and said the reports had just come in that morning and that they were all negative. I went a bit duh at that point and said something like, “and so, that means they’re negative … it says negative, so they’re negative, right? Like, no cancer, negative.” He finally cut me off and said , “Yes! It’s good news! Okay, it’s possible the cancer might come back, but for the moment you’re all clear”. Then he printed a copy of the report for me and said if I wanted I could go and make an appointment with Oncology (my next appointment with Surgery is on January 13th). So Pip and I went off to do just that … next Oncology appointment will be on January 12th, with chemo to follow shortly afterwards.
By then it was lunchtime and boy did we feel like celebrating, so I called my absoluteliest favourite Italian restaurant in Sevilla, Porta Rossa, and booked a table. Pip had never been there before, and we had a fabulous lunch and a wonderful time.
It’s still sinking in that – for the moment – things are looking quite optimistic, though I know that the chance of recurrence is still 50/50. But for now I’m just so relieved that I won’t need to have my spleen, a kidney and part of my pancreas removed. I think three major operations since May has really taken its toll … I’m taking a lot longer to snap back after this last one.
I’m also glad that I won’t have to start chemo until after Christmas and my birthday. So I’ll be able to enjoy the holiday season and build up my strength for the next chemo battle.
And now I have to go lie down … that tiramisu almost did me in.
Thanks, Pip! 
Yaaaay!
I’m jumping up and down for you here.
* snoopy dance
* stirry-pot dance
Have a fabulous Christmas and a wonderful birthday and build yourself up for the next round.
It’s the best news we’ve had for ages, and a real relief.
Excellent news, Az!!! I am so happy for you!
Thank goodness for that – I’m glad you put the negative part on the first part of the post so we didn’t have to read to the end for the good news!
*thumbs up*
Scared away them buggers, yay!
that’s really great! tremendous good news. cheers!
Well that didn’t work as anticipated…
Let’s try again.
Nearly
Yipppeeeee! Go out and celebrate!
It sucks they make you wait so long to get such good news. Waiting is always the hardest part.
Heal up now, okay?
That’s terrific! Fantastic news! I’m so glad for you, Az.
“Yipppeeeee! Go out and celebrate!”
Clearly you didn’t read past the first sentence, ian.
Yeah, waiting truly sucked, Beth. It’s been a hellish couple of weeks. I was too afraid to even hope a little bit, constantly crying over “nothing”, feeling so lost and vulnerable. I’m still kind of nervous about the good news, like tomorrow they’ll call and say there was a mix up in the lab reports or something. It’s such an enormous relief that I can hardly believe it.
It’s also been much more physically hard and painful this time, which also wore me out a lot, so I’ve been quite an emotional mess. There was just so much fear, you know? I think it’s going to take a few days to trust this hopeful feeling that maybe I’m going to be okay.
Thanks everyone, for sticking with me. You can’t begin to imagine how much your visits and comments (and scrabble games!) have meant to me. This is such a damned lonely illness.
Now I just need to find the strength to get through the chemo. But I’ve got awhile before I have to worry about that.
I think I’ll put up my Christmas lights tomorrow.
I don’t even know you more than a little bit, but half way around the world, reading about clear lab tests made a rainy crappy day here look sunny all of a sudden. I am glad.
Fantastic news! So pleased for you
Screaming very loudly in joy, at this end!
I am so glad!!!!!!
Yay! Way to go az! You showed those malignant little buggers!! Fantastic news, I’m absolutely delighted.
Hope those Christmas lights are looking good – I’ll have to do something with my place to increase the Christmas quotient this weekend. Its difficult when its so sunny and hot outside to be putting up trees and tinsel, you know?!
I’m feeling very positive about negative being positive, I was positive that negative was negative when I started to read the post and then near the end realised how negative that thought was.
Skookum, no worries eh.
what a miracle! our prayers were answered!! thats just awesome, relieving, and such wonderful news!!!! im so happy for u!! enjoy ur christmas, birthday, and looking forward to your future life! arent u glad u didnt max out ur credit cards?!!!
Woohoo! That’s fantastic news az!!
Good to hear this. Also good to hear that you will get to enjoy Christmas and your birthday without chemo making you sick.
Ha!!!! I totally believed all your biopsies would be negative. I am so glad to hear this. By all means, celebrate big! Without overdoing, of course. . . I am so glad that you will not be losing major parts of major organs in the near future. We need all the pancreas we have!!!
Now, rest up and eat right and store up all kinds of energy so that you can make it through the chemo in the future.
Meanwhile, happy solstice.
That’s wonderful. Great to hear.
Good news! Rioja time!
Fab! Can’t think of anything to say except FAB!
“Rioja time!”
Indeed, Toy Box. Especially as Dr Dreamy told me yesterday it was totally fine to drink wine (in moderation).
Coming home from the supermarket this morning Nog & I stopped in at Bodeguita Romero for a pringá (a typical after-shopping treat) and when Pedro the owner heard my good news he invited us to wine and a couple of tapas.
“arent u glad u didnt max out ur credit cards?!!!”
I’ll say, DKL! Sure it won’t be Christmas in London, but the tree is now up at casa az and the fairy lights will soon be outlining the balcony doors. I’m quite looking forward to a nice quiet Christmas at home with the cats. Do you reckon the rest of the so-called family are lurking and feeling like total shits now for bailing?
It’s lovely that my good news is making you all smile and feel good.
I’m going to have cava for breakfast in your honour!
Jesus Claus came early this year, YAY! And now to the swearing:
Holyshit-FuckingJesusMaryAndJosephOnADonkey!!!!
Howcum there aren’t positive words that are as powerful as the negative words? Well, those are positive sweary words, okay?
That’s the most wonderful news I’ve heard for a long time. I’m so happy for you, az. (hug)
Woo Hoo!!!
Trust me, you don’t want to be in London atm anyways. Very cold and damp.
Great news, though. Take care of yourself and don’t overdo the worrying – the one thing to remember about chemo is that it is 100% preferable to the alternative.
It’s cold and damp here, too. Not a bit like Seville should be.
woohoo az…this news made us all so happy.
Cold and lots of snow on the ground, here.
We have a fluffy brown bunny which is spending his nights under the apple tree which is up against the wall where our front door is.
This evening, I surprised him coming up the walk. He stopped and stood up on his hind feet. I stood there talking to him and then took a step forward. He didn’t move, so I inched forward. He moved a few feet away to where some of my plants are sticking up above the snow and started nibbling. I got within about 3 feet and he finally hooped away.
I am going to buy some carrots and put them out where he can get them. Hopefully, I can get some footage of him.
All last winter, there was a bunny “parking lot” along our walkway. You could see where they had backed into the snow and made a little shelter in the snow for themselves.
This is just *wonderful* news! I feel so relieved, I can’t even imagine how *you’re* feeling.
Take it easy while you finish healing up, and be sure and take a sip of rioja for me, huh?
{{hugs}}
Such language, Rain! When you come I’ll teach you some good sweary words in Spanish, many of which are about doing something rude to a squid.
“Very cold and damp.”
Yebbut it would still be London and all Christmassy, Blues! Speaking of cold and damp it was 12º in my bedroom again this morning and my hair was all frizzy…
Oooo, bunny footage. Can’t wait, Anneke.
I sure wish I could figure out how to edit my video stuff. I can’t seem to get past the first obstacle in which my editing software won’t recognise my video files.
Don’t get this obsession with London being ‘Christmassy’. It’s cold and damp and a little bit mean, not cold and snowy and romantic.
London at Chritsmas is not Frank and Dean it’s this;
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=55Yp8vecWXM&feature=related
Which is romantic but it’s not chrismassy.
Personally I blame Dickens.
I am trying to recall, now, what format your videos are currently in.
Oooo, nice tune. Blues.
I’d just love to see the lights …
London Christmas lights
What you COULD do is upload them to one of the online filestorage spaces (Driveway… There was another one which I used but I can’t recall the name). You can upload it, send someone the link and they could download it and transfer it to a format your editing software can use. I have a conversion program which can do MOST formats.
I would be happy to do that for you if the original format is one I can convert.
Okay thanks, Anneke. I’ll have a look and email you.
If it’s lights you want you could do worse than our front room.
Just done the decorations and we know look like the bridge of the Startship Enterprise.
Oh, what amazing, wonderful, excellent good news!
A/B
“If it’s lights you want you could do worse than our front room.”
Which would mean going to London! (duh)
Unless you’d like to send some photos. Nothing says Christmas quite like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise…
Only just dropped by – what wonderful news Az! Have the best Christmas and birthday ever!
Yay!!!!! Shawn, I am so glad to hear this! Excellent news. I’m so sorry you are going to have to go through so much chemotherapy, but if it keeps the bad stuff from coming back, then it is worth it. I’m thinking about you,
Kristin
The Christmas and birthday festive season has been great so far, Elenitsa.
I’m really dreading the chemo, Kristin, but judging by how effective it was last time I’m hoping it will take care of anything dodgy once and for all. Ten more days till I see the oncologist (eep!).