"Isn't that great news?"

I got some phenomenal news yesterday in the form of a blood test result I read on my online medical records. Every so often, my oncologist performs a CEA blood test. CEA stands for Carcinoembryonic antigen. When the serum levels are raised, this test can be used as a tumor marker in clinical tests, primarily with metastatic dissemination of colon carcinoma cells. A normal person without colon cancer will have this marker read approximately 2.5 ng or less when tested. (Please note that I'm no expert. What I state throughout this blog is how I understand things.)
So on 11-13-13, I had my first CEA levels drawn. 42.15 ng. Ouch! That's high. Yep. I have colon cancer.
Then on 11-27-13, my CEA registered at 35.56. Yes, it's gone down. 
Enter 12-18-13. This CEA reading upset me. See? I blogged about this already. It ran at 43.55 on that draw. Despair.
But ... but! My CEA levels from the blood draw on 1-15-14 read ... drum roll please ...
5.9.
Five point nine! 
Can you believe it? 
The chemo is working. All of this is working. I was sitting with my husband when I read the test results. He teared up he was so elated. (Sorry J, had to share that.) I told both my kids and called my mom. I texted my bestie and close friends. "Isn't that great news?" 
"Yes!", all of them said, rejoicing with me.

I have a renewed faith in what I'm doing here, and for the first time, I feel a new sense of strength to better handle what my healing, shrinking body is going through. Why? Because my cancer treatment appears to be working ... and I don't want to jinx it. Happily, I can see reason, purpose, and a light at the end of my chemo-tunnel. Isn't that great news?

Carry on,
~K