Saturday, April 27, 2013
Sunday, April 7, 2013
a bit of a wake up call
I have felt like I maybe I shouldn't be able to say I am a cancer survivor. Thyroid cancer seems to be an "easy cancer". I watch other people struggle with radiation, chemo, the sickness, all the craziness, the constant threat of death and all that comes with it. Here I am with a nice scar on my neck, some bills what will take awhile to pay off, but that is about all.
You hear of all kinds of support groups, fund raisers, awareness, research for some many types of cancer. People loose their lives to all types of cancer, but very seldom do you hear of complications from thyroid cancer. In fact what I hear the most is that even oncologist would choose thyroid cancer if they could choose a type to have.
But this week there was a bit of a wake up call. Roger Ebert, a movie critic died. I had forgotten about him. He was a popular critic, and there have been reports about his life, and his death. Several years ago he also had thyroid cancer. He lost his jaw and his ability to speak because of it. It very much transformed his life. He went from speaking for a living, to not being able to speak. It changed his appearance a great deal, and now the return of cancer has taken his life.
I am lucky to be healthy and have a scar to remind me of what I have been through. But today I am realizing just how very lucky I am. I have had a cancer that could have just as easily taken my life. But it didn't. For whatever reason I was blessed to find it, and I am now healthy and happy. I may have had an "easy cancer", but it was cancer, and that can be dangerous.
I know I am blessed.
You hear of all kinds of support groups, fund raisers, awareness, research for some many types of cancer. People loose their lives to all types of cancer, but very seldom do you hear of complications from thyroid cancer. In fact what I hear the most is that even oncologist would choose thyroid cancer if they could choose a type to have.
But this week there was a bit of a wake up call. Roger Ebert, a movie critic died. I had forgotten about him. He was a popular critic, and there have been reports about his life, and his death. Several years ago he also had thyroid cancer. He lost his jaw and his ability to speak because of it. It very much transformed his life. He went from speaking for a living, to not being able to speak. It changed his appearance a great deal, and now the return of cancer has taken his life.
I am lucky to be healthy and have a scar to remind me of what I have been through. But today I am realizing just how very lucky I am. I have had a cancer that could have just as easily taken my life. But it didn't. For whatever reason I was blessed to find it, and I am now healthy and happy. I may have had an "easy cancer", but it was cancer, and that can be dangerous.
I know I am blessed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)