Say hi to NED! This 2017 GMC Savana cargo van is my new, soon-to-be, home. Naming the van was a priority. I put the idea out to my virtual friends at SmartPatients.com – a cancer community forum I joined when I became a survivor. Forum members are my extended, adopted family. They got me through the most difficult part of my “new normal.” So, I take them with me as I travel. And, the invites have poured in. Be careful what you wish for Smarties! For those of you blessed to not have cancer, NED is an acronym – “No Evidence of Disease.” They are the coveted three letters survivors look for on CT scan results. It doesn't mean we are “cured.” It means we can, for the moment, relax, and, possibly, be drug free. Some achieve it, others don't. I am fortunate to be NED, 4 months post-surgery. I initially thought this an inappropriate name for the van. What happens if tumors, or “mets” as we call them, appear at my next scan. Wouldn't NED be a cruel reminder of what was lost? No! NED is always the goal. I use the name as motivation to move forward. I always hope for NED, now and in the future, for me and all Smarties! NED is a part of my journey!
