Three Years of Cancer-free Living

Amy had her 3-year checkup this week with Dr. Lonergan at the Cascade Cancer Center. We were delighted to learn that her CT scan showed no sign of the anal cancer she was diagnosed with and treated for in 2005! The overall outcome of the examination was as good as could possibly be expected, and he recommended that she can forego CT scans for future checkups, unless there is any other sign of recurrence. I've never had a CT scan myself, but from what Amy has told me, it is not a pleasant experience (requiring fasting beforehand, and the drinking of a "contrast" solution to help the scanner detect certain internal features more effectively), so this represents a double dose of good news.

When she told me of the news on the phone yesterday, we had just finished discussing a petty issue about which I had been irritated (essentially, a manifestation of my anal retentiveness ... this time, about protecting the floor mats on our new 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid). The sharp contrast between the relative importance of the two phone conversation topics helped me recognize [from Latin recognoscere, to acknowledge or know again] how easily my priorities get out of whack.

Another symptom of how much I've been taking Amy's health for granted is the absence of updates on her previous checkups on this blog (at least since my report on the "all clear" cancer checkup in January 2006, 3 months after the completion of her radiation and chemotherapy treatment). During the period between her initial diagnosis - in May 2005 - and that checkup, I'd been closely engaged in most dimensions of her battle against anal cancer (which I dubbed the "cancer counterinsurgency" in my blog posts ... which, during that period, were numerous and voluminous). She had other annual checkups in 2006 and 2007 - that also showed no signs of recurrence - that I neglected to acknowledge here on this blog ... which probably reflects neglect in other dimensions as well.

One of the many gifts of awareness that Amy has given me over our nearly 20 years of marriage (we celebrate our 20th anniversary on Wednesday) is that talk is cheap ... and by derivation, I suppose this applies to writing as well. So I won't say - or write - much more [now], except to acknowledge my regret for my neglect, and express my intention to celebrate milestones to greater effect (and affect[ion]) ... and my hope that the future will not offer more opportunities to blog about the topic of cancer counterinsurgency.