Today is my Birthday. It is also exactly one year since they put me on the operating table to confirm the cancer diagnosis. Today is a good day.
Firstly, because I'm still here. Secondly, because they aren't operating on me on my birthday again. Thirdly, and arguably most importantly, I'm healthy again - we beat the sucker!
So much has happened in the last year, that it is quite easy to overlook and/or perhaps trivialise what I've been through. Some of that is selective amnesia - I don't want to remember the real scary bits. Other bits are merely because they were like collateral damage and seem like incidental to the overall journey, although they did in fact play a major part in the overall scheme of things.
I do have to acknowledge that however you look at it, the last 12 months have been tough. Not just for me, but also for those who effectively put their own lives on a holding pattern to support me through the treatment and recovery. I can't thank you enough for doing that for me.
It is also appropriate to once again thank the army of medical people who have been in my corner, and still continue to be there to ensure there are no nasty surprises still lurking. Tatiana could almost be considered my guardian angel - I am extremely lucky she picked up the lesion so early and got the ball rolling so quickly. The specialists, blood & cancer unit team, district nurses, et al have all been absolutely top notch. They definitely got me through some scary bits and theirs is a job I don't think I'm strong enough to do. Dealing with people on a daily basis who are facing the totally indiscriminate, uncaring, many faced disease that is cancer, takes a very special type of person. You guys & girls rock.
Today is a good day, and to keep the positive mood, I have decided to merely look at the major affects of the last 12 months, instead of dwelling on the journey.
On the negative side: Saliva gland and hearing losses, ongoing anxieties.
On the positive side: Hard not to consider the weight loss here, I have a new appreciation of the importance of both life and family, I now understand the need to and importance of putting yourself first sometimes, I got my wisdom teeth removed free of charge, I know that morphine is really as good as they say, I've got some cool "war" stories, I'm one of the lucky ones to get a second chance and did I mention, we beat the bugger!
So a resounding win to the positives. Although some might argue the merits of some of the positives I raise, it's my list, so my decision is final.
While I have no desire to go through any of this again, in it's own way it has been a very worthwhile journey because I know I'm a better person now than I was before, both mentally and physically.
They say some events change our life. Well, I've had my life changing event and it's all uphill from here.
Today is actually better than good, it's a great day and signals the start of a new year with a much brighter future than the last.
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