10 Years!

April 3, 2017

Current Mood:  Reminiscent


Well, March 8th marked my 10 year Cancerversary and I wanted to blog about it but wasn’t sure how I wanted to tackle it or how I wanted to share…

I could take the approach, how did Cancer change me? Or what have I accomplished since my D-Day? I guess I’m doing a little of both in this blog.

Sure it’s been 10 years since I heard those life changing words, “You’ve got cancer”, but I live with reminders every day. Yes, every day I have to take a shower and see my scars and look at what the cancer took from me. Yes, putting lotion on my body has gotten easier over the years and sure the scars have faded but they’re still there, a constant reminder of my past. I try so hard not to dwell on it but every now and then it still hurts.

So how has cancer changed me?
Well for one I definitely don’t judge people and by that I mean when I see someone. I hated when people would stare at me and my bald head. Or even better would stare at me when my hair was just growing back and probably thinking, wow that’s a short haircut she must be a lesbian. I think, no I know, cancer has changed me in how I look at my life and what I want to do and who I want in my life. I believe I’m a better person for meeting other cancer survivors and sharing our stories. I’ve made some amazing friends, who I call my Cancer Friends. They’re the ones that really get me. Sure my Family and Friends were there for me through my Cancer Crapness Journey but it’s my Cancer Friends who really understood cause they’ve walked my walk. I try to surround myself with positive people. I’m still single and I do know I’m not settling for being in a relationship where I’m not happy. Life is too short to not be happy. I’d rather be single and happy than in a relationship and miserable. Statistics say that cancer survivors have better marriage success than those without cancer. That makes total sense to me. Cancer survivors have been to hell and back and I know as much as I would love to be in a relationship and sure someday get married I need to make sure it’s the right person cause for me, it’s forever.

So what have I accomplished since my D-Day?
Well let’s see. I chased my dream and moved to NYC. I owned a co-op in Brooklyn and worked in Manhattan for the NBA. I traveled to London and Paris and did it by myself. Yes, that’s the adventurous side of me that comes from my Mom. I moved again this time to Florida to be closer to my Brother and see my Niece Kiersten grown up. I started traveling again on several cruises to the Caribbean. Some fun excursions were trekking through the rain forest and cave tubing in Belize. I loved Jamaica and taking a ride on the bobsled. And of course snorkeling in the Cayman Islands was amazing too just to name a few. I got my butt back in shape and took up cycling again. I rode my first century (100 miles) ride last year and just did another one a few weeks ago. Proving to myself and my body that cancer may have failed me once but it’s not getting me again!

As many of you know, I love Lance Armstrong. It has nothing to do with the cyclist; it has to do with his Livestrong foundation. There is a line in their manifesto that sticks with me every day. “Cancer may leave your body, but it never leaves your life.” Those words are so true!

So here’s to another 10 years of kicking cancer’s ass!