Sarah Lane's Tumor Ruin: All Signs Point to No
November 17, 2009I got some good news today. Really great news. The kind of exceptional news where afterward your only real choice is to throw some Daft Punk on Pandora, put the headphones in, and just start skipping down the street, smiling at everyone. (I actually did that, btw. If you saw a small, maniacal, skipping woman wearing super cute green/pink Pumas on Fillmore today between Clay and Page, that was me, dawg! And I was smiling at YOU.)
I had my 5th MRI yesterday, the one that was supposed to tell me if my parasitic nightmare and ensuing slightly embarrassing overshare (um, sorry, btw, wow) was all worth it, and if the neurocysticercosis had filed for bankruptcy and foreclosed my house.
And guess what? I met with my new neurologist today, and we went over yesterday’s scans in detail, and…. it looks like my tumors bought in the height of the market, and they thought they were really scoring, and then the bottom dropped out of their neighborhood, rendering them yet another statistic in this national recession of fallen property values.
But seriously, between the radiologist’s and neurologist’s notes, I was told there was “progressive reduction”.. indicating that not only had my tumors already diminished, but that they are expected to continue to.
O, happy, blessed day. Seriously. You don’t get that kind of news every day. I don’t, anyway.
The next step is to meet with a highly specialized infectious disease doctor (I guess they have those and these people spend their entire lives researching people like me, which is rad) and make sure that she doesn’t think I need another round of Albendazole/Prednisone, just to make sure the killers are really truly dead. I guess my particular disease is one that’s still being figured out and the treatment options modified regularly.
Basically I got the best news I could possibly get at this point. If the parasite in my brain that manifested into the tumors that gave me an epilepsy is truly dead or soon to be dead, then if I’m lucky (and I don’t need to be all that lucky since the odds are 80% in my favor), the resulting brain scar tissue from this whole ordeal will stay in my brain, but cease to cause me further issue.
Obviously the whole thing will be closely monitored. For example, I still get the headaches I started getting before my seizure, and that always worries me a little. My neurologist thinks it’s likely residual pain from all that radiation I went through. If anything in that department gets weird, I’ll get looked at. But at this point, I’m considered “on the mend”.
I can’t believe it, and yet I can… because as insignificant and brief my ordeal has been in the grand scheme of human suffering, I consider the entire experience a gift to a vain, materialistic, silly woman like me who really needed a little perspective. It worked, UNIVERSE! GOT IT! I love life and I love being here. It’s all very obvious to me now, and if it’s always been obvious to you, then I’m so happy to belatedly be in the club.
Reader Comments (133)
Awesome news. What better news could you get as we head into the holiday season
Your twitter description as "a small, treacherous ball of steel" is indeed true.
Can't mess with Sarah and expect to survive. I hope the great news continues.
I hope you are reading all the comments you've received.
You are loved.
yeah!
That is great news, Sarah =) Glad to hear it!!
Great news Sarah, hope it's all up hill from here. As George Costanza said "There was SHRINKAGE"
Your did this! With a little help from your medical friends. Enjoy, be healthy.
This is awesome! Woooooooooooooo!!!!
Fantastic news, Sarah! Time to do a happy dance!
Awesome news !! Wishing you a speedy complete recovery !!
So good to hear!
Congratulations on the latest prognosis Sarah. Keep well.
Great news, and you never over shared, you just needed to talk things out.
Just curious, did they advise a travel friend of yours be checked over also?
Well, I'm just effing ecstatic. You are one of my "must read" online celebrities. I love your sense of humor and especially when it's about something grim like this. You go Sarah and I'll try to annoy you once in awhile.
Glad to read you're on the mend Sarah. Your experience makes my recent gallbladder surgery and resulting pain feel like plastic surgery. You're getting shit done to you because your life DEPENDS on it, whereas my gallstones (the reason I had it removed) could've been avoided with a sensible diet. Though there was a slight chance of death had a stone clogged my biliary duct, it was no parasitic brain tumor. The fact that you had that and survived is fucking PUNK ROCK.
You are a true champion, and a defender of what is good and right!
Fight on, Sarah! FIGHT ON!
THAT IS AWESOME!!! YOU MUST BE THRILLED AS AM I !!! YOUR ONE TOUGH CHIC!!
Huzzah
Oh such wonderful news. Keep us informed.
Glad to hear you're on the mend and about the new found perspective. Count it all joy, life is a vapor. What a happy, happy day.
Congratulations! You have been through a lot in the last year. You deserve good news.
Hang in.
I think I spelled all that right.
Great news!
That is excellent news! Congrats Sarah! Id give you a big hug right now if I was there.
Whooo... thank god Sarah.. :D
So happy for you..really.
I'll also throw on some daft punk tunes.. and rock on in celebration with you.
I knew all those good vibes we (your web and real life friends) were sending you had to work out.
virtual hug my friend :)
-frankie :D
Sarah,
You're an inspiration. Despite the heavy stuff you've been through, you've had a great attitude through it all. I only wish more people looked at life the way you do.
My sister recently was diagnosed with cancer of the upper eyelids (not sure of the medical name for it). It's a slow growing cancer and thankfully she caught it before it became more of a problem. She's currently going through treatments with a new drug, ie not chemo.
But all this hit her rather hard, as it would anyone. Yet despite all this, she decided to look at it as a positive. To look at cancer as a sort of teacher giving her a life experience, and to look at that experience and see what she can change with herself.
So, keep looking up. Don't let the obstacles defeat you. You've already shown that you mean business to this parasite. Show them who's boss.
Great news. I hope you went out and celebrated.
That's great news, congrats. :D
Good to hear Sarah, keep up your spirits!
That is great news, Sarah. I am thinking of you and wish you all the best.
I just heard you on TWIF today and you sound fantastic. You make me laugh like crazy, you're awesome!
Just read your post, great news. Lots of people were praying for you. Keep us posted!
Sarah that is awesome out. I'am so pleased for you. That is a awesome piece of writing too. Stay thru!
thats über-fantistique! :D
A god sign indeed, and continued wishes for a full recovery! Remember Sarah, YOU are the one in charge. Not your doctors, and certainly not your brain. Keep smiling and never lose sight of hope.
Best of everything...
-Daniel
Sarah
I am grateful for you update but frankly was not too concerned as I had just been sure that you were coming through this ordeal with a good reasult and a great story.
Awesome news. Keep positive and grow stronger in every way.
Love and hugs from afar
Thats awesome! So glad you are on the mend :)
Awesome! So, you still fit into your cheerleading uniform. Awesome again! Fire your agent!
That's awesome news for the Queen of all things Tech. Now since you are going to be around for a long and healthy life, when my wife leaves me, is there any chance you might be available for a friendly dinner at Alioto's? ;o) I'd have to charter a flight from the Midwest to get there but you'd be worth hanging out with! All the best to you Sarah. Have a great Thanksgiving .
Ciao
Glad to hear you are ok.
Keep mending, babygirl! I am way glad to hear the news. Were my late Wife still here, she would be, too (we used to watch Screensavers/AOTS together - howz that for a marital passtime?). Her infectious disease doc was a great and brilliant doc, the first upon which she bestowed "Wizard" class status. You remain in my prayers.
\ o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/ \o/
see...we are all very happy down here in Brazil!
Awesome news Sarah! Science for the WIN !! Keep staying strong, you are an inspiration for all of us!
Awesome news.
Nothing can feel as good as thinking that your dying and hearing that your gonna live. You can't explain that feeling to anyone that hasn't gone through it. Best of luck and life to you and continue to keep us entertained :)
W00t! Just doesn't seem enough...
Fuck yeah!!!
Excellent news Sarah.
BTW welcome to the club of those who have finally, with a little kick up the ..., been able to put life in perspective.
Enjoy every minute!
Awesome news Sarah! I've been thinking boutcha, having the brain tumor thing going on in my family too. Scary stuff, but awesome to hear you're on the mend and kicking ass.
awh Sarah I hope everything continues to get better! You are the best
Such great news. May the bad guys continue to shrink into nothingness.
Wow, everybody's getting tumors these days. I'm glad everything is ok for you Sarah. Grooveshark.com is better than Pandora.
Peace!
Sarah, that really is awesome. My aunt went through the same thing about 10 years ago (parasites in the brain and all), and she pulled through just fine.
I am very happy for you, it's a wonderful feeling indeed. :)
Kindly,
-Patrick
So happy for you Sarah. Look fwd to hearing your segment on Net@night too. Providence is smiling upon you.
When I was missing a new ep of TWIF, I was very concerned, so I came stalking you.
GREAT TO HEAR A POSITIVE PROGNOSIS!
Continue to do well, sweet Sarah.