Yesterday was an important anniversary for me. Well, maybe not that important since when I remembered it last night, I was too lazy to get up, walk over to my laptop and write this post. At least I am doing it today as I sit here under blue skies in the sunshine of a crisp chilly November morning at the local dog park. I brought Skye here to romp and up until right now she has been chasing squirrels. That changed, a moment ago, as a young lady with another dog just came in. I digress so let me get back on course.
Today is the day after the 10 year anniversary of my retirement from federal service. Retirement has been good to me and mostly agreeable & enjoyable so far.
Maybe more importantly though is that it is the day after the 10 year year anniversary of my last day of cancer treatments. The day the docs assured me there was still hope. They did that because my tumors were still large. They told me that both the radiation and chemo treatments would keep working for weeks after being last administered. They did not instill much hope within my psyche which was pretty much devastated after 7 weeks of torturous treatments. I maye have had a little bit of hope after hearing their words but a little bit may be an over statement because the tumors were still large and fear filled my soul much more than did hope.
Luckily for me, lots of fear and a bit of hope were not all I had that day. I had family & friends who stood by me. With their help, what hope I had grew a bit more each day as they urged me stay hopeful. Had they not, I might have considered another option, one I would rather not think of now.
They worked - both the treatments and being hopeful. In March 2012, my cancer was diagnosed as being "resolved". That is the best word, I think, that a cancer patient can hear. So, here I am today living another day in Paradise 10 years and a day after my last treatment and after my retirement day. Whoopee.
All the best,
Glenn B
