5 months ago I was dying from cancer, and 4 months ago today I had surgery, and am now cancer free. I never thought life would take me on such a wild journey. I won't lie, as you all know, it's been an incredibly difficult time in my life, but I also feel like I have so much more clarity on a visceral level of the things that are really important to me, and the things that used to be important just hold no appeal.
I look at my scars, although minimal and long since well healed, and I am reminded of the grief, loss, and pain that I've been through. I've been on the hormones now for a couple of weeks, and oh what glories! It's been wonderful to feel like my old self again - no more hot flashes, night sweats, minimal mood swings (is it really a mood swing if someone is pissing you off?)
Often times at work I talk with people who are also battling cancer. Most recently I talked with a woman who had only recently had surgery for cancer (different kind than mine), and even though I was her coach, the call became more about two women sharing a common experience of having our lives saved by surgery, but still facing the realities of post-cancer life. She cried, I got choked up. It truly showed me that it's the relationships we have with one another as human beings that's the fundamental purpose for life. Whether it's through conversation, making music, or even just being present to witness, it's what makes life, life.
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