Gert has shrunk to about half the original size and she's no longer causing pain. The doc said .....cue the bright lights and choir..... for now I'm done with treatments!!! That is, unless my pain comes back or it starts to swell again. Which may never happen, but there is a slight chance since we did not actually REMOVE the tumor. I asked him if we could "get ahead" of the symptoms- like earn extra credit if we went ahead did a few more treatments- but he explained that regardless if I have it done 1 or 50 times there's no way to prevent it from coming back, if it ever decides to. He said my biggest risk of it growing again is when we decide to get pregnant. Apparently she's reactive to hormones (surprise, surprise). He told me if it starts to bother me again, all I have to do is email his nurse and she'll get me set up for another injection. My last words to him as I was walking out the door were "Well, I really do like you...but I hope I never have to see you again!"
There's no doubt Gertie has tested my patience and taken me on quite a ride over the last several years. And there have been moments when having faith and staying positive was the hardest thing to do. But now, not only have I gotten answers and a diagnosis...I am free from the pain and swelling. And even if it does come back, there is peace in knowing there's something I can do about it! Thankful is truly an understatement. God is so good!
