Can I use the 'R' word?

Well. I had my oncology appointment this morning. To sum things up, my oncologist was smiling and giving me a non-physical pat on the back. He was smiling ear to ear. He thinks my cancer is 'remissing' ? I am so not using the word 'remission' for fear of an up'risal' by those criminal cells that have taken up residence in my beautiful temple. He actually told me that he is surprised at my progress *sniff sniff bawl*!

I have turned the corner through God's will, my determination, ALL of my family and ALL of friends' and coworkers' support. Sorry [bleep] disability folks - you get no credit. So now I continue praying and giving back as I have been trying to do in the last few months. Amazing how life gives us lemons and we forget that all we have to do is to make lemonade. I did not know that I was going to be writing or saying these words since I was diagnosed with a recurrence of Stage IV Inflammatory Breast Cancer with Liver metastasis in July of 2008.

I lost my younger sister to the disease less than a year ago from that time [November 2008] and another sister was battling colon cancer. I thought all was lost for me but I did not give up. My stubborn 'streak' reared its beautiful head and my continued Faith in God gave me the strength to overcome any obstacle that dared to cross my path. Once I knew my prognosis, I called my American family together and we made a plan. The rest is history. There may have been some minor changes in that plan [smile] but I kept on standing and continued to survive in the best way possible.

A friend of my mine said to me the other day: [paraphrasing] - 'cancer is afraid of you Vilma' and not the other way around. I chuckled because she was so close to the truth. I was still trying to control my doctor's treatment methods while meeting with him this morning and overstayed my welcome in his office. I had his staff cracking up. You see - I never go in for a visit without researching and reading new treatments to this deadly disease. I always have lots of questions and make him scratch his head. I remember the first time that I met with him, he asked to have family members accompany me........ Well, that only happened for about three visits cause I basically told my dear brother Michael and loving daughter Joanne to take a hike! Lol!

Ok. This is enough - I am crying now out of happiness. Life CANNOT get any worse. Trust me. My doc was trying to tell me that the cells are still in my body and recur at any time. Guess what doc: I am not ready for a recurrence and besides God cannot take this busybody/overbearing person in heaven as yet!