You Say Tomato, I Say To-mah-to
I have been out and about more in recent weeks and as a result I have been running into people I know. I have been surprised by the number of people who, upon seeing that I look like I feel good, ask if I am “in remission.” And maybe that is an obvious thing to ask someone who has had cancer and is now better. I have found myself telling those people that I am not in remission exactly, but that I am instead currently cancer free.
The definition of remission is the temporary or permanent disappearance of disease. Complete remission means that there are no signs of the disease present in the body. Partial remission means that although there are some signs or symptoms of the disease, there has been a decrease in cancer cells. Often people think that if someone is in complete remission, they are cured and safe. However, while complete remission can signify that the cancer has been cured, there is always the possibility that it might come back. Based on those definitions, I suppose I would probably be officially labeled as someone whose cancer is in remission.
To me, though, the word remission makes it sound like the cancer is still there somewhere, lurking just behind the scenes and waiting to make a reappearance. I am sure that is why I automatically tell people that I am not in remission, but that I am cancer free. While that may not be technically correct, I am sticking with it because I prefer to think that, after everything that I have been through, there is no cancer left in my body.
Comments
Good for you. From one "glass half full" to another, it's always better to keep the positive first and foremost.
Posted by: Ree | November 25, 2007 06:32 PM
The power of a positive attitude is great medicine!! Keep up the positive thoughts...they work!
Laurie
Posted by: Laurie | November 25, 2007 07:46 PM
Free at last, free at last...
I'm so happy for you, Kim!
Love to you and yours,
xo CGF
Posted by: candygirlflies | November 25, 2007 08:24 PM
I completely understand. I had cancer one time and then I didn't later. It was gone. Congratulations!
Posted by: Alison | November 25, 2007 08:40 PM
It's gone, it's not coming back, end of story.
Posted by: Carla | November 26, 2007 12:01 AM
Cancer-free sounds great to me! I agree- remission sounds like it's lurking around somewhere- and after what you have been through- you have earned the title "C-F"!!! Congrats again!
Posted by: Cynthia | November 26, 2007 03:51 PM
Kim,
Gosh. When you put it that way I almost feel like I should classify myself as in remission - with a 90% recurrence risk. But I happen to agree that you are absolutely right. Breast cancer is not one of those cancers that goes into remission anyway. You either have it or you don't. And we most assuredly do NOT.
Posted by: Imstell | November 26, 2007 10:32 PM
Good for you. Cancer free it is.
You're right, remission sounds more like admitting a temporary fix.
Free free fr e e ... love it. As I am sure you do too.
Posted by: Shelby | November 27, 2007 08:29 AM
Personally, I don't think that you can ever think of this as something that is ever completely "fixed". I know that sounds negative but if you have ER+ BC, you have to manage your hormone levels through endocrine therapy for most likely the rest of your life. Just in the past coupe of years have oncologists begun to understand the long natural history of ER+ disease. Endocrine therapy must be taken seriously.
Posted by: Joel Maners | November 27, 2007 08:47 AM
Kim,
I agree with you...I like to say "cancer free" rather than remission. As you said...that word to me means that it can still be hanging around somewhere! I try not to think of it like that....but of course I do have my days!
Posted by: Cathy | November 29, 2007 04:40 PM
It's so great to hear that you are cancer-free, Kim. You are awesome.
Posted by: Joanna | November 29, 2007 08:36 PM
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You rock!
Posted by: WhyMommy | December 4, 2007 03:44 AM