Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Clear As A Bell

Okay - so there is so much information to share I'm going for bullet points and not necessarily in chronological order.

1) My PET scans came back clear as a bell yesterday! As my friend Laura would say, "Whomp, whomp!" I do have my Brain MRI coming up on the 17th but you all have my back so I'm not worried.

2) Dr. Volm is so pleased with another clear scan that he is giving me off from my January chemo cycle so I have a chance to enjoy a long vacation.  Luckily, I have family living in St. Maarten and they are flying us down for a warm, Caribbean vacation.  Ahhh.

3) Sadie is THE BEST!!!!  I am totally going to brag about me and her so if you don't want to be grossed out, skip to number 4.

Me: Sadie, why don't we get rid of some of your toys? You have a lot of them and there are children that don't have any.

Sadie: Okay. (As if this is no big deal, she begins tearing through her buckets of stuffed animals and toys.)  How about this, and this, and this, oh and I don't use this anymore, and this?  She continued for a good ten minutes and was giving up some prized possessions.  Finally, there was entire box filled of her toys.

Me: So, why do want to give your toys away now? (A few weeks ago, I had made the same suggestion and received a resounding, NO!)

Sadie: Because you give ALL your stuff away, Mommy.

Me: (lip beginning to quiver and eyes welling up with tears)  Sadie, you just made me the happiest mommy in the whole world.

Sadie: (genuinely surprised) I did? Oh, I am so happy for you, mommy. I love you so much. (Big hug and kiss)

Okay, I know this is complete, gratuitous, self-aggrandizement, but it will be with me for the rest of my life.  I found out my scans were clear and my daughter said the words above to me on the same day.  I'll never be happier than this.  Well, never is a strong word, but I am going to revel in and remember it for quite awhile...especially when she's pushing my buttons!!

4) Nathan's scans were also clear.  He goes back for a colonoscopy in six months and a follow up with the doctor in a year.  They are really confident about his status.

5) Thanksgiving was wonderful.  We spent it with my mom's side of the family.  Haven't done that in ages. Fun, fun, fun!  Loud, loud, loud.  Love, love, love.

6) Sadie's a theater-lover.  My mom has taken her to see two performances, Once Upon A Mattress and Alice in Wonderland at The Heights Players, our community theater.  She and her cousins were taken to see the Rockettes at Radio City for The Christmas Show by their Great Aunt Barbara.  She got to pet the camel after the show and now demonstrates to us the signature Rockette move, "you kick, and then kick, and then kick..." And last, but not least, she saw Angelina Ballerina LIVE with her Grandma Lynda.  Again...loved the dancing.  Wonder where she gets that?

7) She is getting very excited for Christmas.  We bought our tree and are decorating it a little every day. She is utterly creeped out by Santa Claus.  This is totally fine with me.  I rather my daughter NOT want to sit in a strange, old man's lap.  And I think I have escaped Elf on the Shelf for one more year.

8) My cognitive testing confirmed that I am road ready. I am back behind the wheel of our ever so sweet minivan.  Seriously, people, it has some great pickup.  I also found out that I am officially ambidextrous.  However, when I think of doing a left-handed cartwheel or using scissors with my right-hand, it gets very ugly.

9) Nathan turns 40 in January.  Take it from us, it's good to get "old."

10) We continue to be humbly grateful for all your prayers, well wishes and good vibes as we continue this journey.  Have a WONDERFUL, PEACEFUL & HEALTHY Holiday!!!



64 comments:

  1. I just want to say that this post made my day, so wonderful to hear the good news and wishing you all wonderful holidays together

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  2. WONDERFUL NEWS all around!! Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!!!

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  3. Karen Kristofferson SparksDecember 5, 2012 at 4:07 PM

    Man oh man. Life is good! What a lovely thing to read. XOXO

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  4. Such answers to prayer, Elisa. Thanks for a wonderful update. Have a blessed Christmas.

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  5. The best news of my day. Love that all scans are clear. You are truly a miracle in the making.

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  6. I think of you often, and it's wonderful to hear such great news. I can't say enough how happy I am for you and your family! Good tidings, all the way from Amman, Jordan.

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  7. Wow! What amazing news! And Sadie! She made me cry. :) So blessed! Have some great time off from your treatments and enjoy your family!

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  8. Such happy news, yet I'm just about in tears for you! Wonderful, wonderful list.

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  9. What a wonderful Christmas present!!! So happy for you and your family. Have a wonderful Christmas and a blessed New Year to come. Prayers and best wishes from Alabama!

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  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  11. Yay! Happy, healthy holidays to you and yours!

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  12. sorry, this was meant for another site.

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  13. Fabulous touching words from Sadie. So glad you get to go away to the caribbean. And celebrating Nathan's Big Four-Oh should be a blast for all of you.

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  14. SO SO SO relieved and happy to hear this. And yes, wonderful to hear you gush about Sadie. *KNowing* the brain scans will be good, too!

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  15. Hi,

    I'm Jarrett from The New Ricki Lake Show, my producer is totally in love with you, shared your story with us in the office, and would like to talk to you. How can we reach out to you to discuss something we're doing on a show for next week?

    You can email me at Jarrett.Hill@therickilakeshow.com

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  16. What an awesome update, so good to hear your great news. Enjoy the holidays, and a happy, healthy 2013!!

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  17. Such a Beautiful post.....I am so so extremely happy for you , Nathan and Sadie!!!!
    Isnt it so precious that such a young little person can be so much wiser than we can be <3
    Have an amazing holiday and I wish all of you a very healthy and uneventful year ;-)

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  18. Happy, happy, happy!! You deserve it so revel!!

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  19. Amazing! So happy for you all - you amaze me! Have a wonderful holiday, full of joy and love! Yay!!!

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  20. WOOOOHOOOOOO!!!! Awesome all around!!!! Super double big thumbs up and high fives!!!!

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  21. super super like!!!! Happy holidays and lots of love from Providence, RI!

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  22. What a wonderful gift to receive. I love the Sadie story too! Enjoy this season and upcoming vacation. This made my heart smile!

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  23. I've read your posts since you have started them and this one just made my day! I don't even know you but know that I've been praying for you and hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

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  24. I am a friend of a friend and I just love this post. I alsosend prayers your way and will continue to do so. You are so beautiful and such a great writer. YEAH to good news and Hallmark moments when kids know just what to say. Merry Christmas friend I have not yet met. Julie

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  25. A Christmas miracle for sure! Congratulations and best wishes for a wonderful and HEALTHY 2013. My prayers are still going to come your way.

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  26. I don't even know you and I think this post from you was the best Christmas present I could have asked for. I'm so happy that your family is getting good news and that the improvements are remarkable!

    I hope that soon ... as soon as possible ... you will be able to spend hours and then days that turn into weeks and months ... NOT thinking about cancer.

    Wishing you and your beautiful family (and such a sweet Sadie) all the magic of Christmas.

    Coming to you from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. That's in Canada.

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  27. Yay! Wonderful news for you both! I have been following your ups and downs since you started but this one makes my heart smile because of the normalcy (dare I use that word) of everything in there! I am going thru my own BC battle now (diagnosed in July) so I know how much you are relishing this! God bless-merry Xmas and here's to a phenomenal 2013!

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  28. Just the best news to hear this month .... Enjoy all the joys of December and have a very Merry Christmas! Can't wait to hear of your wonderful vacation next month too. And I loved hearing what little Sadie said to you....you should be proud. :o) Continued blessings to you all!

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  29. This is such happy news!!! Thank you so much for sharing your life with us!!
    Sue

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  30. Merry, Happy,Wonderful Holidays and Many Days to You, Nathan and Sadie!! Amazing!

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  31. What a blessing you are to everyone!!! You made my holiday extra special with your post and hope you all continue to get healthier and healthier!!!

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  32. So happy to read your update and happy that you get to flee this city for the holidays!! Always sending good vibes!!!
    xoxo
    Ashley

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  33. Soooooo wonderful to read this. Beyond happy for you -- a huge earthshaking sigh of relief. We are at the beginning of our own battle with the big C, and praying for miracles. Bless you bless you bless you.

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  34. What awesome, amazing news! So happy for you and your family!

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  35. You are all just amazing and inspiring. Your strength and courage and determination are humbling to those of us tripped up by petty daily ups and downs. Keep fighting, keep loving each other, keep inspiring us! Hooray for your good news and have a wonderful, peaceful holiday!

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  36. What heartwarming news. Have been admiring you and your husband both from afar. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season, and I'm looking forward to more inspiring posts from you.

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  37. Thinking and praying for your family as always. So glad you have positive news to report.Have a wonderful holiday and I look forward to hearing more from you in the New Year

    Best Wishes

    Carol UK

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  38. Fantastic post. So happy for you and Nathan and Sadie! Have a Merry Christmas.

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  39. Glad that your prayers are being answered. Will continue to keep you in my prayers.

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  40. Wondeful news, we are so very happy for you all.

    Have a blessed and fantastic Christmas and Happy Happy New Year.

    So happy to see your amazing courage.

    From Geraldine in Spain
    xoxoxoxo

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  41. So wonderful to hear. Delighted for you three...and your many friends/family. Enjoy your holdays and may 2013 shine even brighter.

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  42. This is the most wonderful thing I have read in a long time. I hope you have a wonderful vacation!

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  43. I am truly filled with happiness for all of you. The World Wide Prayer Circle is working. Have a Peaceful & Joyous Christmas!!! Much love, Denise Palmer.

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  44. I am so happy to hear all this good news! May your holidays be filled with peace and joy.

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  45. Elisa, you just rocked my world this morning with all of this fantastic news. Like I said a million times, I have followed your family from day one and continue to do so each day and always look for good news, but hell sister, you just about broke the bank this morning! May the prayers continue to flow and may the good Lord continue to bestow his graces on all three of you! Sadie is a doll face, yoiu are really blessed! You think she's cool now? wait, it only gets better, that my friend I promise! Have a wonderful weekend!

    :) Chrisie - XOXOXO

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  46. SO very glad you all are doing so well!!! Stay strong and healthy!

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  47. Wonderful, simply wonderful!!

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  48. What wonderful news! So happy for you and your family. Thank you for sharing and being an inspiration.

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  49. So happy for you!!
    Wishing you all the peace and love in 2013.
    x

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  50. What a beautiful post! Congratulations!!!

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  51. Your post was an early Christmas present. Clear scans are fantastic news and I am rejoicing for you.

    I live in Vancouver (Canada) and I've been following your post since Feb 2001, when you and Nathan were both diagnosed. Every single day I check to see if there are any new posts, and I love reading them. Never, ever, ever change your unique, descriptive, evocative, hilarious way of expressing yourself because of a couple of uptight idiots who clearly don't know what matters. Keep it up. Keep being yourself -- there's no one else like you !

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  52. Wonderful news. Merry Christmas and all the best in the New Year.

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  53. WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas and CONGRATULATIONS! I have been following your blog for well over a year now. I cannot tell you how happy I am to see this update. Thank you for sharing and GOD BLESS!

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  54. I have been following you from the beginning, even though I've never posted before this. I check often and I must admit that sometimes I'm nervous, afraid of what I will read. But when I logged in tonight, well, I just can't tell you how absolutely wonderful it was to read your latest. I am so happy for you and your amazing family. And what a wonderful job you and Nathan are doing with your little Sadie. Merry, Merry Christmas to you and your entire family. What an incredible gift!
    -Marty

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  55. fantabulous new!!
    wishes for good health, lots of joy, and peace in 2013 and for many more years to come.

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  56. Elisa (and Nathan and Sadie)...your words are like butter to the soul, I read this post twice simply due to the warmth in your words. I've been following you and your story since your first appearance on the Today show while I was holed up in a hotel in NY awaiting the airline to drop off my lost luggage and bitching on what a shitty day it was. Then came your story on TV which captured me and my heart. I have two small daughters at home close to Sadie's age and I couldn't move after you and Nathan delivered your story and I could see the strength and love in your eyes. have to say I've taken a lighter look at our lives since then and prayed for you a couple hundred times. clearly you have a wonderful support system in play with your family and spirited friends, but know we're all with you on this journey as well and you've changed lives. Joy, love and heath to the three of you..xoxox Karen D.

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  57. Your post just made my whole weekend! I'm feeling so happy for all of you!!!!!

    Love and lots of prayers from MN,
    The White Family

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  58. Fantastic news!!!! I am thrilled to bits for you and your family!! I love your story about Sadie! She is soooo adorable and such a gift. Have a wonderful vacation and will keep you in my prayers. You and Nathan inspire me to keep on trucking and never, ever give up hope!! Merry Christmas from Toronto, Canada

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  59. Isn't it amazing how a 3 year old just wants their mommies to be happy? My 3 year old often asks "Are you happy now?" In a truly sincere way. It makes my heart melt. I'm glad you are having heart-melting moments. Those 3 year olds will do it to ya! (Then they will kick and scream for 20 minutes making you wonder what just happened, but hey! Take the good and the bad.)

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  60. I am so happy for you Elisa and Sadie sounds sooooooooooooo precious! How lovely. I am also thanking God for His healing work on your body and you never have to ask, I will just keep on thinking of you all and praying! What a holiday blessing!!! It gets better from here on out!!!!!!

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  61. Hey there! I noticed that your RSS of this website is working without any mistakes, did you fulfill all the properties on your own or you used the initial settings of the widget?

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