Six Degrees of Separation

Me: “Hey Arielle, What do you and Lance Armstrong have in common?”

Arielle:  “Hmmm? Well, he’s cute too…  Oh, and Germ Cell Cancer!”

I loved Lance Armstrong! Loved him! I had read all the articles and books and felt the story of him beating Stage 4 Testicular Cancer was absolutely remarkable! A miracle! Little did I know until about a week ago that the cancer, who’s ass he so boldly kicked, was the same type of cancer that Arielle is now battling!

“Hey,” I’m thinking;  “His future turned out pretty damn good, right? ”  Well, with the exception of the doping scandal, the incessant lying and being stripped of his 7 Tour de France titles… it did.  I’m pretty sure Arielle has not been doping, she’s a bad lier and  she plays rugby (she’s not a cyclist) so we’re back to the Germ Cell Cancer.

Here’s what the Mayo Clinic says: Germ cell tumors are growths that form from reproductive cells. Tumors may be cancerous or noncancerous. Most germ cell tumors that are cancerous occur as cancer of the testicles in males (testicular cancer) or cancer of the ovaries in females (ovarian cancer). Germ cell tumors tend to respond to treatment and many can be cured, even when diagnosed at a late stage.}  

Let me read that again; “…tends to respond to treatment even when diagnosed at a late stage.”

We don’t know Arielle’s “stage” yet as we’re waiting on MRI and CAT scan result to be read. I assume we’ll be told tomorrow as she starts her 5 consecutive days of BEP chemo treatment.  …but if the Mayo Clinic says it, it must be true right?

Maybe… just maybe, the lights coming towards me are not  the headlights from a speeding car, but tiny slivers of rays of hope.

In 5 years I want you to ask me, “Hey Melissa… what do Arielle and Lance Armstrong have in common?” My response will be, “They both kicked Germ Cell Cancer’s ass!”