It’s Truly a Happy New Year

It’s truly a Happy New Year!

My band of “Guardian Angels” came through for me on January 2.  Back in November, my PET Scan lit up – not a good thing. 

That hasn’t happened in 5 years….

Needless to say, this created some excitement in the Stratos household.  As always, the timing was perfect!  Just before Christmas….

Déjà vu!.

My body seems to like surprising me this time of year. It must be confused about what is the meaning of a “present”.  J   I knew that some of the “growths” where fibroids, but there was “draw” by those fibroids (they were eating the glucose they inject in the area, and that typically means cancer).  Anyway, the decision was made for me – it was time for this “lady junk” to come out.

Hasta la vista, baby!

What the hell – I’m done with that junk, anyway and at this point in my life I do not need to carry any access baggage.  

And that stuff had to weigh something, right? 

Instant weight loss!  Who doesn’t like that?

My surgeon, Dr. Boice, said my fibroids were so big that it was highly unlikely he could do the surgery laparoscopically. The biggest bad boy was 12 centimeters.  

But he did!

The fibroids were embedded into the uterus, so they just yanked the sucker outta there all at once.

Like a tooth that needs pull’in.  YANK!

Yeah. They’re conducting a biopsy on all the tissues, but the early news is that the last growths on my liver were cysts.

Thank God!

That’s been at the back of my mind for some time. After surgery I popped up with a smile and they looked at me like I was an alien. They said most people don’t come out as alert as I did.

That’s my super DNA at work, baby! 

I came out of surgery and asked, “where’s the party?”  I felt so damn good after the surgery they actually said they’d release me immediately if they could. Originally, they told me I would be in the hospital 3-5 days…..

No way!  I have to thank my amazing husband, Mike, for being so positive and proactive, my “Mama” Katie, Brother Victor and my dear, dear friends Artemis and Atossa for waiting with Mike and keeping him from losing his mind!

My positive son Sergei was hanging in there with a smile, my wonderful Southdown pals were great – they organized meals for me and the family (went so far as to make stuff Gluten Free!) and my gal-pal, Judy, for giving Yildren some extra love.   And last but not least, my Mom and Dad for their continued love and support.   As I sat at the cancer center I realized just how far I have come, and how blessed I am, to have such wonderful friends and family….

And some super charged DNA (thanks for that, too, Mom and Dad!)!

What a great beginning to 2016.

Happy New Year!

It’s a miracle and a medical wonder….

My purpose for 2016 is to help the MRF (Melanoma Research Foundation) move closer to a cure, to change melanoma from a death sentence to a chronic disease by funding more research.  

Before my surgery I attended a medical conference that was focusing on the different pathways that effect melanoma, and ultimately, other cancers.  There are 46 pathways currently in process, and hundreds more to study, but researchers think they are close to cracking the code!  They’re figuring out how JAK and EGGK can kill melanoma that has become BRAF resistant. We don’t know a lot about JAK (…..we don’t know jack about JAK J) but it could be a game changer.

They’re even studying folks like me – Super Responders – to figure out why this crap works on us and not on others.  I believe I’ve been saved for a purpose – maybe they can run isolated trails for some additional variables on me – I willing….

Maybe I’ve been saved for a purpose.  Who knows – maybe that’s true….

It is time to try being an astronaut!  Discover new frontiers! I want to boldly go where no man has been before! 

I want to work towards helping us all become Super Responders.!