Passing the Final

Yesterday I visited with my team of doctors at the Huntsman Cancer Institute to discuss their evaluation of my first round of chemotherapy. I have to admit, I was a little nervous. If they found that even 1% of the cells in my bone marrow were cancerous, I wouldn’t be able to move forward in the regime they’ve set out; it would be necessary to go back and repeat another round in the same phase (the chemo equivalent of failing the final and repeating the 9th grade…no good). To my delight and the delight of those who joined me in my hospital visit, the doctors literally ran past each other coming to my waiting room to be the first to tell me…I’m at 100% remission!!! (This is the part where you yell “oh yeah, baby!”) What does 100% remission mean? you may be asking. It means that after they ran a series of tests on Thursday, they were unable to find any signs of leukemia in my body; they’ve beaten this sucker down. This is the absolute best result we could have hoped for. It means my body responded like a true pro, and we are ready to move forward. So wouldn’t this mean that you’re finished and recovered? You may also be asking. It changes very little about my anticipated regime. The problem is that, while no leukemia cells were detected in the tests, the doctors are still positive that there are rogue cancerous cells lurking in the depths of my body, hiding out behind my rib cage, plotting and waiting in the dark corners of my blood for the right moment to come back with a vengeance. Worse, these cells have the uncanny habit of coming back in the central nervous system and brain (which is just no fun for anybody). So from here on out, the chemo will be preventative, aggressively so. The point is to keep attacking and killing cells for the next year or so, until there is no possibility that these cancerous cells could still be hanging out.

So it’s great news, and cause to celebrate. I start my second round (but in a completely new phase of chemo) on Monday, and will be staying with the Salvatori family throughout this coming month, close friends of my family’s. I’m so grateful for the healing that has taken place thus far at Tom and Laurie Eastwood’s home; they’ve been incredible hosts to me and my ever-growing posse. I know that the healing and strength will continue, despite what lies ahead. One more beautiful morning looking over the aspen covered mountains of Park City, and much gratitude to be moving forward.

Judd