16 months out: a net positive

Got my umpteenth CT scan (something like 10 of them thus far) last week as a normal course of post-chemo follow-up rhythm. Met with the Oncologist yesterday-- and got a clean report from a cancer perspective, but they did see a 'pulmonary nodule' which they suspect is pneumonia. They think it may be fungal pneumonia, but I am told by the oncologist that a CT scan doesn't provide enough info to call it fungal vs. bacterial.

Nonetheless, I feel like a pile of rocks and am taking the day at home to rest. I've coughed up some sludge that would be offensive to share via photo, so consider yourself spared.

I've felt achy for about 10 days now, and was starting to worry that something was wrong-- which seems to be a common theme coming into a scan milestone. Now at least we have identified the reason I don't feel good-- and it's NOT cancer!

Also of note was that I had my (second) chest port removed about 3 weeks ago. It was a great process, except when they were drawing labs prior to the operation they hit a nerve in my elbow. It lit me up light a light pole! Getting some residual zingers down my forearm, but I am told it will slowly heal. Matching port scars in my chest looks quite nice, and it'll just have to be my version of getting tattoos.

I am continually grateful to be healed of this illness. As you know, I have connected with a handful of Burkitt's patients over the past year or so and have been keeping in touch with people as they go through their journey. One of these young people I've come across, Brian Howell, died recently. He was mid-way through treatment, and things just started to fall apart, one by one. His wife Hayley is just trying to get through her days, without her beloved-- trying to re-learn how to spend her days and keep things afloat.

God's grace is all we have, and thankfully it's never-ending. Lord have mercy on us all.