NO RADIATION.
I just spoke with Dr. Crane's office.
He took a lump of tissue out of my head that was 3.5 by 4 cm for what turned out to be a half-centimeter, low-grade (confirmed by surgical pathology, hooray!) tumor. The margins were clear. I will not need radiation, only follow-up from here on out to confirm no recurrence. Recurrence is rare with these types of tumors, especially when they're confirmed low-grade. Call it ten to fifteen percent.
Thank God.
I'll have a CT scan in January, then follow-up scans at intervals to make sure that nothing's come back.
Ten-year survival rate here is 95%.
The last bit of anxiousness just unknotted itself from the middle of my chest. For the first time in what feels like a very long time, I am crying happy, thankful tears rather than lonely, frightened ones.
Thank you all for being behind me during this.