Yesterday I made the long drive back to “the specialist” to find out the results of my PET Scan. Actually, I already knew the results (I am clean!) but now it was time to discuss next steps. I’m quite sure he had told me that even a clean scan wouldn’t be definitive since Spot was so small. A biopsy would be next.

I was resigned. Pretty cool and calm. Ready to face the next step and just get on with it.

Dr. Specialist welcomed me into his office (he always asks, me and everyone else, ‘How are you?’ which seems like an odd thing to ask a person who might have cancer). He began to explain the test results, immediately realized I already knew the test results and then stopped cold when I said matter-of-factly, “I know, now we book the biopsy.”

“No!” he blurted, shocked. “No need for a biopsy. We’ll just book another CT scan for February and check the size.”

I was incredulous. I am quite certain that is absolutely not what he proffered last time.

But WHO CARES???

I was ecstatic. I almost hugged him. Might have done a wee jig around his room.

“You will need a CT scan every six months for 2 years,” he added.

Heck, yeah! A CT scan takes three minutes and does not hurt. I will absolutely have that every six months for two years.

And therein lies the rub, although I really don’t mind this rub at all (did that sound funny?). Because the truth, it’s never over. Our health challenges will never be over until our life is over. We will experience hills and valleys, wins and losses, scares and triumphs. And then, just around the bend, something else will happen. And we’ll hop on the Ferris wheel again. The absolute best we can do is be fully present to enjoy the view from the top and fully accepting that the bottom is bearable. With the right attitude and perspective.

I sent out a few very joyful texts yesterday, announcing my great news. One person responded, “Now you can just enjoy life!”

Um … okay … but guess what? I never stopped. Throughout this 6 week journey I never once stopped enjoying my life. Sure I had moments of anxiety and uncertainty, but I always tried to focus on the positives brimming in every day. I remembered to be grateful. I acknowledged that there are many far worse off than I.  And I cultivated joy far more than I succumbed to fear.

Yesterday’s news was very sweet icing on the cake. But the cake itself was a wonderful life lesson in awareness and grace. My old friend Steve said (repeatedly), “All will be good, Vickie!”

Might sound like a platitude but I never actually doubted it. I truly believed that no matter what, all would be good.

Yesterday was great!

Today is pretty damn good too.

And I am very excited about tomorrow.