Today is my 1 year cancerversary. (Technically yesterday, seeing as it’s midnight.) Survivorship is a rollercoaster, and I’ve never been one for roller coasters. The spot when you’re upside down just hanging there for what seems like much too long, feeling your hands get sweaty, losing grip, wondering if the restraint really does hold you in safely; that’s when they find something in your routine scans, and you wonder if it’s back. This is what happened just after I reached the 6 month mark, in August. Upon more examination, it seemed to be a benign mass. Survivorship, quality of life, and death were the topics of discussion at the following Dr appointment, words I hadn’t heard since my cancer staging. I was told to go live my life, while we wait to see if I required more surgery. We moved our daughter to university, the holidays came and went, and 3 weeks ago I went in for more scans, the next day I got the all clear… it truly was benign! Monday I was back at Mayo for my regular scans, they were clear and my labs were good. Wednesday was World Cancer Day, which came and went; I didn’t post anything because I just couldn’t bring myself to for various reasons, mostly because for a cancer patient/survivor “cancer day” is everyday, and it’s been heavy. Now, here we are, one year past my first set of clean scans/No Evidence of Disease. I’ve completed my first year “cancer-free”! The roller coaster restraint is still working! 💙
That chair in the photo belonged to a gentleman named John. I first met John some years ago, he used to live near the office in different locations. During summers he would leave and go back east, then come back here.
Me and my coworker used to go check in on him from time to time. This one time he asked us to go buy him long John’s for the coming winter., he had this big wad of cash with him that day. I used to also bring him meals when I could.
Throughout the years I saw others start to take care of him as well. A couple of days ago I saw some people leaving a balloon I didn’t think much about it until today. I passed by and saw his lonely chair and his tent gone. A truck driver pulled over and asked if I knew what happened which I didn’t.
A guy who I didn’t know was walking by and asked if I knew him. I said yes, that I had known him for about 18 years, and then he told me he passed a couple of days ago. As we were talking a guy pulled over in his truck and asked what happened to John. He was as shocked as I was to hear the news. It’s weird to think that he is gone. I’m glad other individuals watched over him, too. I hope wherever he is, he is at peace, and knows that he was someone to us. RIP John.
First photo is of John in 2008.
#fujifilm #fuji #fujifilm_xseries #fujix100t
So I started these fit checks because of @ch.loe_park . When we would leave for school/work her last year of High School, in the mornings she would always tell me, yes dad that works, or no dad that doesn’t work. So when she left for school she told me to send her what I was wearing that day. So, here they are. I only do these because of my kid. #adidas #converse #llbean #ralphlauren
