Happy Rebirthday

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my last radiotherapy treatment and is now officially my rebirthday.  It seems to me that as it is the day that marked the new beginning, it deserved to be recognised on an ongoing basis.  It was something I decided on doing a year ago and still seems appropriate now.


I had great intentions of filing this post yesterday (doing the big yippee!! type thing) and even had an idea as to what the content would be, but it just didn't seem right.  So, with the extra day, a celebratory beer in hand and a slightly clearer head, here goes.


My treatment was due to finish on Friday the 13th of August 2010 and that seemed sort of poetic in some warped way.  However, through the 7 weeks of treatment we missed one day (the fact it was only one was pretty bloody good all things considered), so Monday 16th August became the magic day.  To say the last year has gone by really fast is the obvious cliche, but in reality that is exactly what has happened.


While it was meant to be the start of a new chapter of healing, in reality it was a new chapter in pain as my body continued to process the treatments.  


When I look back at this time last year, my blog paints a very different picture than the one of today (check this out for proof - so what next) and it is times like this that I'm absolutely gob-smacked about how matter of fact I was being about what I was going through.  It was probably drug induced stupor to some degree, but I think throughout this lengthy process I've downplayed the sheer brutality of it to myself.  Sure, those on the front line with me were very much aware of the challenges, but I seem to have gone with the flow pretty much and that is why looking back at these old postings still unnerves me a bit.


While I have nothing but good things to look forward to, I have no desire to actually forget what I've been through, or how lucky I've been. 


So, over the next few weeks I think I'll actually take the time to reminisce by reading some of those old postings and maybe then I'll finally be able to get things aligned in my own mind.


To all those people who were on the front line for me - another big thanks and this celebration is as much about your love, personal sacrifices and perseverance as is it about me actually beating the odds.