Background noises: champagne bottles popping, bells ringing, crowds cheering

I’ll start off by repeating what Dr. Larson, my oncologist, said as he entered the exam room yesterday, “Let’s cut to the chase, you’re good.” He was being funny because he is used to Vicki and me always coming loaded with a laundry list of questions.

After questioning him and asking the questions again to make sure we hadn’t misunderstood anything, we got the picture: I’m in full remission. The bone marrow biopsy didn’t find any “hairy cells.” A pathologist also confirmed I have “negative MRD,” meaning no minimal residual disease. Nothing, nada, zippo, zilch.

Vicki and I are happy and relieved, of course, but it’s taking a while to really sink in. Maybe we have a little medical PTSD. It’s hard to believe we’re not in survival mode anymore.

While I may have dodged a bullet, I’m aware of many folks who have not been as fortunate as I am or are currently trying to manage their own health challenges. Thank you for sharing your stories—we’re stronger together—and thank all of you for the constant support which came in a wide variety of ways.

In a time when many of us wonder about the rationality of our fellow human beings, you all have confirmed that love and compassion can make miracles happen.