Cancer Free, Baby!

Really???

Yep. Really. We did it!

Complete metabolic response.

Complete remission.

Completely resolved lymph nodes.

Deauville 1.

However, you want to say it, I’m cancer free.

How can they possibly know that my whole body is cancer free? Yesterday I had a PET scan. For 14 minutes I lay as still as humanly possible inside a tube while my body was scanned from nose to knees. The results showed that every part of my body was unremarkable. My body is clear of enlarged lymph nodes and there is no evidence of disease.

Today I had a phone call with a member of my medical team and she explained that this 3-month scan places me in a group of CAR T cell recipients who are most likely to go on and have long-term durable remission.

I’m feeling incredibly lucky and thankful to live in Canada and to be part of the CLIC1901 trial. Without it, this result might not have happened.

How am I feeling? It’s indescribable. I think I’m still in shock and likely will be for months to come. My stomach is upside down and at random moments throughout the day, I’ve burst into tears. After a year and a half of dealing with cancer on a daily basis, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Thank you, dear readers, for being here. I feel so blessed that I get to celebrate the most important news of my life with all of you. There is still more of the story to tell, so my blog will continue for at least a few more months yet.

So what am I going to do now? Right now, I’m savouring the moment and this feeling of a new beginning. In the near future and for days and months to come I will be celebrating. I see each day as a gift, a gift that I am so very lucky to have. As for what’s after that? That’s easy. I’m going to LIVE life as fully as I possibly can!