Disease Free

Today, on Good Friday, I write with such a grateful and joyous heart. Last night we finally received news we’ve been praying to hear for over two years… Trip is disease free. Disease free!! It’s still hard for me to believe.

Trip had MRI and PET scans on Tuesday (which both went smoothly – kudos to Children’s). Dr. Appel called last night with the results. The PET was negative… completely negative with no sign of disease. The MRI shows abnormalities in the base of the skull, but since the PET did not light up in that area the assumption is that it is not disease related and could possibly be bone regenerating. There were no signs of any disease activity in the brain. This is the 2nd MRI that has shown the same thing, so I finally feel comfortable accepting that whatever was seen at one time is no longer there.

The instructions are to stop chemo immediately. No more eight pills every six hours every other weekend and he can stop taking one chemo pill a day. In three months he will have another MRI. If there are no new signs of disease within those three months and the MRI is stable to improved, he will get his port removed.

There are still three meds he will continue to take, which are mostly due to the endocrine issues he will face the rest of his life. That’s a little confusing to him. When presented with the medicine he said, “I thought you said no more chemo??!?” The port removal will obviously be the biggest signal to him that he has won this battle.

Last night I had a sleepless night. My brain wouldn’t calm down. I kept imagining crossing a finish line that I’ve seen in the distance for months. It feels so good to have finished that race, but I know another one starts today. The race to keep Trip well and keep this disease at bay will be one we face for the rest of our lives.

I wish we could personally thank each person who has supported, prayed and loved us through the last two plus years. We couldn’t have made it without people in our lives pulling for us, crying with us, and holding us up when we didn’t think we could hold ourselves up any more. We are humbled by the love and support we are shown daily. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Through tears I told Trip last night that it was over. “No more chemo, Baby! No more!” He screamed, “I’m the king of the world!!!” And right now, he is.