Being NED Can be a Good Thing



NED

529 days ago I was told my increasing hip pain was actually a Metastatic Tumor caused by Advanced Lung Cancer which was diagnosed way too late and had already spread to other parts of my body.  My world turned upside down.  Stats gave me 6-9 months.  My doctor told me to ignore it.  1 nasty surgery, 35 rounds of radiation and 16 courses of Chemotherapy later I got the best present I could get considering the diagnosis and prognosis.

Although the original lung tumor still shows up on the CT scan, the PET scan shows no active cancer in it or any previously identified areas. This is commonly called NED. (No evidence of disease) Not too shabby. It's just too bad I had to get it just as I finished my Chemo treatment.  I hold no grand illusions for the future, but every day, week, or month with no spread or evidence of the disease gets me closer to a less debilitating treatment (still doing maintenance Chemo once every 3 weeks). 

The lesson to all of us is that losing hope or being negative is a self fulfilling prophecy for others; not for me and my friends and family.  I am convinced that my positive attitude and that of all those that think about me contributed as much to my improvement as the drugs.  The “miracles” of Hanukkah, Festivus and Christmas are not lost on me. 

Yes, Cancer Sucks, but fighting it as we have has made me (and presumably others) better people with a better perspective of what is truly important in life.  Regardless of what the future brings, I will never forget these things.