So, saw the Oncologist this week and we went over the results of my PET scan.

First the good news. All of my organs are cancer free, lungs, liver, kidneys, the whole smash. That's the good news. The bad news I am Stage IV. The PET Scan showed:

There are several small left sided peritoneal nodules measuring less than 1 cm in short axis diameter, image #240-254. There are a few small sub-5 mm right-sided peritoneal nodules which show no significant hypermetabolism, image #249-253.

And while these tumors are small and don't appear to be aggressive, I am evidently a mutant as the test found ALL of the following genetic abnormalities in the tumors already out of me:

CCND3 - Detected
KRAS G12D- Detected
PT53 L265P Detected
EP300 P1458H Detected
MTOR R311C Detected
MYCL P79S Detected
PLE R1284Q Detected
RICTOR C689S Detected
SGK1 Detected
TNFAIP3 Detected

Worse, while my Doc is playing up we'll fight it and so on, being real he doesn’t anticipate being able to cure this but gives me 50% of beating it. Mean time he’s very confident we can fight with chemo for years. As long as I can take it and show up, he'll keep treating me.

Now, I have a lot of things on my side for this. One, I've gotten a 'mutant healing factor' from my granny and the whole family heal like werewolves. Put another way, I had major abdominal surgery a month and a half ago, and I'm normal and doing every day things. Tomorrow, I'm going to compete in a shooting match. I should be hobbling around on a walker like a geriatric in my 80s. All of my doctors are amazed I'm up and about.

For those that came in late, I actually almost died on the table in that surgery, and only the very quick thinking of my surgeon kept me from bleeding out. And tomorrow I'm going to compete in an action shooting match.

Two I have always responded extremely well to medicine. I'm on the lowest dose of Lisinopril and BP is at the bottom of the perfect range. My primary doc was going to take me off of it which is how we found out I had cancer in the first place. I could go on, but I'm be the first to admit the plural of anecdote is not data.

My point is, it will be as God wills it and I will fight. But it is chilling to hear I no longer have decades ahead of me. Or, as I remarked to my brother earlier today, I'm fifty four. Even if I live to be a hundred, I have fewer tomorrows than yesterdays. I suppose likely no longer have would be more accurate, my uncle already beat mouth cancer without chemo. I could surprise everybody and live to collect social security; if there's anything to collect when it's my turn. But that's a debate I'll leave off of here.

And it goes without saying, all of this 1st world health care isn't cheap or free. And while my ENTIRE treatment team, from surgeon to oncologist and on have assured me, they are here to treat and they don't care if I can pay, that's not their concern, the worker IS worth their wage. Currently my bill is $85,000 and I haven't started chemo yet.

So, if you've enjoyed my writing and you'd like to toss a little something in the hat, my go-fund me for this is:

Medical Expenses Go Fund Me for E. E. Nalley

And to end on good news, I've finished my first Whateley Novella in five years. Watch the Whateley Academy site for it:

The World Knows Not.

Coming soon.

Thanks all and GO GET A COLONOSCOPY! It can save your life!

E