A couple of days ago, I flew to Chicago for the follow-up from my recent surgery and to get started on the new clinical trial - a vaccine that would be created using my own cancer cells that were harvested from the surgery. The idea behind the vaccine trial was to take my agressive cancer cells and transform them into a vaccine where they essentialy kill off the body's cancer cells. I was excited. I had a plan. And, it was a plan that gave me immense hope.
So, what's the old saying...."the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry?" Yes. Our plan went awry. This morning at my appointment, the doctor said, "I'm sorry, but we could not create the vaccine from your tumor.....there were just not enough cells to make it." She explained that in reality, there were indeed enough cancer cells, but a significant amount of them were indolent. I was puzzled. "Indolent?" I asked. "You mean lazy? My cancer cells are lazy?" I was visualizing my cancer cells soaking in a bubble bath sipping on chilled chardonnay... Dr. W responded, "Yes, they are a little "lazy". We needed more active cells. But, the bright side is, that we know we can go down this path again, should your cancer continue to grow and become more agressive." Instead of getting caught up on how "cancer growing" would qualify as being "the bright side", I just asked her for Plan B.
Not only did Dr W come up with a Plan B, but she had Plan C, and then had Plan D in her back pocket. In dealing with this disease you truly have to expect the unexpected. In fact, you can count on it. And, as soon as the pendulum reverses its course and begins swinging the other way, you'd better jump on and ride. This pendulum could take you farther than you've ever gone before.
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