| Dear everyone, Sorry for the lapse in writing, but I am happy to tell you that all is well. I've been back at school since August and things couldn't be better. My fall semester was pretty good, I didn't do as well as I had hoped on my grades, but I didn't do as bad as I might have either. I think a big issue with that was the fact that I wasn't happy with what I was studying. And if I've learned one thing through all that I've been through it's that my happiness is was up there on the list of important things in my life. Because of that reason I have finally declared my major here at Pitt, Theatre. It was always my love for as long as I have been doing it, and even though things may not turn out as well for me when I get out in the job market as the would have if I had stuck with Chemistry at least I know I'll be happy in life persuing it. Since I've been a declared theatre major I've been overly active in the theatre community here at Pitt and I can't remember being happier. I finally have the want to go to school, which is a good thing. I just didn't have the drive to continue being a science major, and I'm not disappointed in the choice that I have made. As far as my health goes, I just had an appointment with my doctors at the beginning of January in which I found out that I am one of the healthiest people there could possibly be. My conditions seems to be getting better day by day and I feel better now than I can ever remember. We did have a bit of a scare back in October when I went for my first check up since I finished with my chemo. The PET scan came back indicating a flare on my spine, which was where one of my tumors was located. I had thought the cancer had come back. It was a very difficult time. I was scared for my life for the first time since any of this happened to me. Even when I found out in the beginning that I had cancer I just didn't seem to be afraid at all. I was probably the only person in my family who wasn't stressed out over the ordeal. It was pretty odd being the only one who didnt' really seem to care. I just knew somehow that this wasn't going to kill me, that it was a just another stepping stone in my life. Then the news in October came. It hit me like a truck. I had to come to terms with the idea that this si more than I thought and I can't remember ever feeling more afraid than I did at that moment. My doctor on the other hand seemed to believe that it was possibly a false reading and had me retake all of my tests to make sure. The tests came back incunclusive, they couldn't deny nor confirm remission. So this last set of tests I had done in January was what I viewed as the determining factor in whether or not I would live. Thankfully they all came back perfect, even better than the last set. According to the tests some of my lymph nodes had actually gone down in size, which is a great thing. Right now is one of the happiest times in my life. I have great friends and great family, and as I said earlier I am extremely happy in school for the first time since I came to college. This is my second chance to do things right, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. Enjoy my life. I can only hope that others out there recieve the same great news someday that they too have been given a second chance as I have. Now the only thing that makes me sad is knowing that others have to go through the same things that I've been going through the past year. Know that my heart goes with all of you in your journey. I will never forget the many who also have cancer, you are in my prayers always. |