The One with the Magic Word

Happy Summer Readers! If you haven't yet burst into flames from the heat and humidity, thanks for coming back to read my newest post. Surprisingly, it has been three months since I have posted an update. The days and weeks have been flying by! We survived Jackson's graduation and everything that it entailed. It was better than I could have ever imagined. It was a day that I was pretty sure I would never get to see, so the day wasn't full of sadness; it was full of jubilation and elation. I was bursting with pride to celebrate this wonderful young man whom Nick and I are blessed to call our son.

I am still suffering from the severe colitis that was caused by my immunotherapy. I stopped that treatment in January and had to stop my chemo pill in April. I went to see a gastroenterologist and am now taking infusions of Entyvio (yes, the annoying-ass commercial medicine). I just took my second dose. So far, nothing exciting is happening. I am hopeful that this treatment will work eventually. Please send good vibes and prayers that it does!

Being off all cancer treatment has been devastating to me. I was making progress, and now I can't continue?!?!? It's all so unfair. I have been secretly battling the what-ifs and have mentally driven myself into a frenzy that no one would ever know. Cancer teaches you to be a master at masking. I smile and laugh on the outside, while secretly dying on the inside. I should honestly have an Emmy at this point! lol

I just had a PET scan and a follow-up appointment. I was not feeling good about this scan because I have been without treatment. I have been preparing for the worst while keeping some hope. I am ecstatic to report I am in REMISSION!!! Yes, you read that right!! REMISSION! My oncologist is going to continue to hold treatment because, as she said, "there is nothing to treat!!" I will have scans every three months and will restart treatment when something new appears. For now, we focus on the colitis and hope the cancer stays away. As Dr. J told me, I will never be cancer-free because most likely cancer cells are still in my body but this is the best news scenario I could have. When your oncologist is shocked and thrilled for you, you realize how lucky you are!

Honestly, I am struggling with reality. I never thought I would hear those words. NEVER! I'm still waiting to wake up. Waiting for the other shoe to drop. I don't get this lucky. Things like this don't happen to me. Other than my son and husband, my whole life has been the hard road. I don't know what to do with this unforeseen fortune. My first thought was to mark something off my Bucket List. So hopefully Nick and I will be planning a trip together in the next couple of months. We haven't been on a trip just the two of us in 20 years! I think that might be a great way to celebrate.

To add to the good news, Jackson completed his Private Pilot License (PPL) checkride. He completed an oral exam and flight evaluation with a FAA examiner, and we are happy to announce he passed! He is officially a Private Pilot. Holy hell, seeing the book and materials he had to study, we could not be prouder. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers as he starts his new flight and college journey.

In less than three weeks, we will be moving Jackson into his quad for his freshman year at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, FL. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we send our only child off to college 8.5 hours away. I am so thankful and blessed that for the first time in years, I feel I might actually get to witness him graduate from college and possibly get to join him on his first commercial flight!

I will continue to provide updates on each of my scans. Please DO NOT stop your prayers and good thoughts. YOU are what got me here. Thank you for every single second you thought of me. Please don't stop now. I have a lot of living to do now! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you all.

Love,

Cort