Another year to live!

My latest piece of art made from a scrap of wood. You can’t see it in the picture, but there’s metallic paint in the grid at the bottom, and it looks really cool as you walk by the wall where I hung it.

The condo collapse in Miami is just heartbreaking, and while condos seem like a desirable accommodation for retirees, it leaves me wondering if I would ever live in one. I’m confident there are many upsides to condo living, but I’m not liking the whole shared ownership thing.

Who is ultimately responsible? I suppose we will find out when the lawsuits roll out. I’m reminded of an old Gallagher joke: They needed a con, and they needed some dough.

Speaking of cons, I was pleased to see the Trump Organization and its CFO indicted for tax fraud. Of course, I’m just one of the little people who dutifully pays her taxes, but it’s good to see cheaters held accountable. Everyone suffers when people don’t pay their share.

I had a good laugh over Trump’s comments at the Florida rally about not paying taxes on fringe benefits and asking whether you had to. “Does anyone know the answer to that stuff?” he asked. Um, yes, we do know, and presumably, he does, too. If your employer gives you a $100 gift card, they take taxes out, and you declare it as income. At least that’s the way it works for the little people.

Waiting for him to fall feels a little like all those old guys waiting for the Cubs to win the World Series. You hope it happens before you die.

Speaking of death, or avoidance thereof, last week was my annual oncology check-up, which I passed with flying colors.

Cancer number one was Stage 3, Grade 3 Primary Peritoneal Cancer (PPC) in 1999. This cancer is considered virtually identical to ovarian cancer, except it grows in the lining of the abdomen. To make things easy, I usually just say I had ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is hard to detect. The CA-125 blood test is one tool, but it is not accurate, so it’s not used for routine screening. Coupled with a transvaginal ultrasound, it can be used as a screening tool for high-risk patients. I wasn’t considered high-risk when I was experiencing symptoms, and no one ever did a CA-125 on me prior to my diagnosis.

My CA-125 was elevated, which would have been a trigger for more tests. Presumably, they would have found my cancer a year or so earlier. But life can be interesting. By waiting another year, I landed with an exceptional doctor who successfully treated me for a disease than often kills its victims within a couple of years.

After two surgeries and six months of chemotherapy, I have been disease-free for 22 years and counting. The CA-125 has proven to be a good tool to monitor ovarian cancer once you’ve already had it. Ideally, it should be in the single digits. Mine has been 6 for many years now, and it was once again 6. Every time I see it, I tear up with gratefulness and relief.

This is my commercial interruption for ovarian cancer screening. If you are at increased risk, ask your doctor about a transvaginal ultrasound and CA-125. If a doctor suspects you have ovarian cancer or you need surgery related to ovarian cancer, see a board-certified gynecological oncologist. This is not a job for your favorite OB/GYN. 

One of the reasons survival is not as good as it should be is because women aren’t being treated by the right specialist.

Cancer number two was non-invasive Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS). Some people don’t even think this qualifies as cancer, but my oncologist assures me it is. Lumpectomy and radiation is the typical treatment. However, I am BRCA 1 positive (like Angelina Jolie), and the risk of the cancer returning in a more virulent form is much higher for me.

My treatment was a mastectomy, which was presumably curative. Once a year, the oncologist examines my chest and lymph nodes, but that’s it.

And so it goes. Another year to live!

21 thoughts on “Another year to live!”

  3. Congratulations, Donna! Your post got me thinking: how would I live life differently (or would I?) if my future plans depended on the outcome of a yearly test? If I only felt I could plan a year in advance. Not at all inferring that you do this… but imagining myself in such a scenario…or as a premise for a novel.

    Deb

    1. I did kind of live life a year at a time when I was first recovering. I liked knowing I had a whole year before they could find anything else, and I allowed myself to not worry for a year. Although I don’t worry about a relapse anymore, I still like thinking I get an annual pass!

  5. Great to hear that you’ve achieved a pass on another year’s test. I’m also glad to hear that you’re being checked regularly and that you had such fantastic health professionals to work with when you needed them. I’m now over 10 years from my cancer and no longer get annual check-ups as I’m back in the “no more likely than any other member of the population to get cancer” group. As I was in that group before I got it, I don’t feel enormously reassured by being back there. But this is one limitation of our marvellous free healthcare system and I could always shell out for private tests if it bothered me that much. Like you, those initial annual check-ups were big milestones, but now I’m happy to get a pass when I have a check-up, and even managed to lose count of where I was the last time out, so seem to be managing not to live by them.

    But, getting back to beautiful things – I love the artwork. Simply gorgeous Donna.

    1. Congratulations! I always love a positive cancer survival story. I would be in the same group as you — no annual check-ups — if it hadn’t been for the BRCA diagnosis. It appears I’ve already had the two cancers my particular mutation causes, but my oncologist says they are still learning about BRCA and the risks of other cancers, so she recommends I get checked out once a year.

      As a newbie artist with lots of self-doubt, I very much appreciate your kind words!!

    1. Best wishes to you and your wife! No one wants cancer, but there are good lessons to be had.

  8. Hi Donna, Congratulations to you on the good news of your annual oncology check-up. For me, it’s scary to think about getting a cancer diagnosis. I always hear about the advances the medical community is making in treating cancer but then I hear of so many people dying from it. May you have many, many good years ahead of you:) I love your latest piece of wood art!

    1. Cancer is pretty frightening, but there are advances in diagnosis and treatment, and there are positive stories to tell. I try not to bore people with my good fortune, but I do think it’s important to hear about great outcomes.

      Thanks for the nice comment about my latest piece of wood art. It might be my favorite so far.

  9. Such good news for you. It’s strange to live with cancer. It’s always there in the back of your mind. At first diagnosis, it’s all about appts and appts and appts. Treatments etc. As time goes on, it certainly is less so especially with a remission. But still. This time 16 years ago, I was getting radiation. I remember thinking how stange that the world and people are still just doing whatever and taking for granted stuff like a 4th of July picnic or going to the store. Whereas, I was getting radiation daily and just hibernating. Weird. Well, for now, all is good and I’m happy for you.

    1. Thank you! As you said, cancer is weird. I am so amazed by your journey and am delighted the meds might be giving you another remission.

  10. It’s so nice to hear good news! Congrats.

    Because my mom had ovarian cancer, I now have a CA-125 test every year and the ultrasound maybe every three years. My doctor isn’t taking any chances, which I’m grateful for.

    Love your art!!

    1. I’m so happy you are getting screened properly! That is great news. And thank you for the compliment on my art. It’s still hard to believe I can say “my” and “art” in the same sentence.

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