Musings by OZ

And the results are in! Drum roll please!

The bad news is that I have indeed had a relapse of the Lymphoma, I am no longer in remission, the cancer has returned.

The good news is that it is a fairly non aggressive form and though it is not curable it should be treatable.

I am scheduled for a bone marrow biopsy next week. Based on the results from the CT scan the cancer is in my abdomen. I have swollen nodes surrounding stomach, liver, lungs and pancreas as well as some activity in my upper torso, the bone marrow biopsy will determine if it has found its way back into my bones. Once the results are back from the marrow biopsy the doctor will determine a course of treatment. My treatment will most likely be another 6 months of chemotherapy but I won’t know for sure until all of the results are in, if I have to do chemo again it will thankfully be a less aggressive treatment than I received last time.

We are very comfortable with the care that I am receiving here, my doctor is wonderful and is going out of her way to make sure I get the best treatment possible. In Poland they use a European standard for treating cancer that differs from treatment in the US. From what I understand treatment in the US is more aggressive, they have a strict protocol for the treatment of each cancer. They want to get the patient in and out of the hospital as quickly as possible so they tend to use treatments that are more harsh on the body with the hopes that the cancer will be eradicated more quickly. Although this does indeed work it is difficult for the body to recuperate and it also can lead to shorter periods of remission. In Europe they take a more individual view on treatment, they look at the health of each patient and prescribe a regimen that will kill the cancer but is less toxic to the patient. By doing it this way it will sometimes take considerably longer for a patient to beat the cancer but the patient will be healthier in the long run as a result.

Once I have been fully diagnosed we will have a big decision to make, should we remain in Poland so I can receive treatment here or return to the US.

Staying here in Poland has some complications, we have to leave the country every 90 days in order to receive a new passport stamp because we do not have a Visa, it may not be possible to travel once treatment has begun so this complicates matters. We would love to return to the US so that we will have our friends and family for support but ultimately we have to do what is best for my health. We don’t have a complete picture yet but as much as I want to return to the US and the sunny Southern California beaches and of course our dog Shpongle, I am leaning towards remaining in Warsaw and dealing with the cancer here.

It looks like spring is finally here, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and flowers are popping out of the ground. It has been a wonderful visit to Poland even with the long cold winter and we are looking forward to seeing Warsaw as the weather changes, Spring will completely transform Warsaw and we will have much more to explore as the weather changes.

Even after hearing today that my cancer has returned it was such a beautiful sunny day in Warsaw and with my honey bunny by my side I can’t help but feel happy, maybe not as healthy as I could be but I am excited to be alive and ready for any challenges ahead!