Hello, beautiful people.
June is National Cancer Survivors month. I’m blessed to be in the number.
For some strange reason, one of the first things I did when I was diagnosed with colon cancer was focus on the first three letters of that dreaded six letter word. Hearing the word “cancer” sent me into an out-of-body experience. I knew the doctor was NOT talking to me. I backed away from the phone and tried my best to not hear my doctor’s voice. However, seeing the word invoked a different response.
My doctor warned me that he had “bad and significant” news. As I began to make notes on our conversation, I wrote “You have cancer. It’s in your lymph nodes and blood vessels.” It was easier to write the word than hear it. I stared at cancer, in more ways than one. As I repeatedly looked at the word, I leaned it. All I could see were the first three letters…CAN.
At that moment, I decided that I CAN fight this. I CAN beat this. I CAN tell people. I CAN rely on others. I CAN endure chemotherapy. I CAN live.
So, 15 years later, I still focus on the “can” in cancer. I can write about it. I can talk to you about it. I can celebrate the battle. I can appreciate the lessons I learned during every round of chemo. I can show up for others. I can advocate for screenings. I can encourage others through their battle. I can tell others, “You’ve been chosen!”
I am a cancer survivor. My husband is a recent cancer survivor. Some of us will survive it on the earthly side. Others, like my oldest brother, will say goodbye to it as they transition to Heaven. For me, cancer was a comma in my story, not a period. Yes, I still get episodes of neuropathy. Taste buds are not what they used to be. The bald spot on my scalp is barely noticeable. You’ll be looking for it now.
To all of the cancer survivors out there, we’re still standing. And we CAN enjoy life with a few lingering chemo symptoms and a whole lot of gratitude. Happy National Cancer Survivors month. Enjoy this pic from Touched By Cancer magazine, around 2012.