One Year Anniversary

Today is the one year anniversary of when I became cancer-free. January 30, 2007, I had surgery that removed the portions of my body that were or perhaps were infected, and they all came back benign. This was wonderful news.

Over the past year, I spent 6 weeks off work, recuperating. I had numerous set backs and phone calls to the hospital, and even one trip in an ambulance to the emergency room. I still have problems sometimes with my scar.

But I’m alive.

My life is different now than it was then. I dumped the secure but lousy job. I reached out to other women, including family members that I had allowed to become estranged. I learned I was very strong and that I could reveal weaknesses without being weak. I learned a lot about humility and about allowing others to do what they need to do to take care of themselves. I learned that a healthy friend was worth more than my pride. A lot of things are worth more than my pride.

I also learned that taking care of my health is an ongoing process, that it’s never “over”, much like dishes or cooking. I have learned a lot about my body and how everything is interconnected. I learned how lucky I was to have caught it as early as I did.

I also have a lot more to learn. How to relax, how to take the time for myself I need, how to fill my life with things that nurture me rather than pass the time or merely entertain me, how to stand up for myself and my needs. I’m still learning those things, but I am learning, and I am living, and that’s what’s important.

Happy anniversary to me. Thank you for sharing it with me.