I started thinking about what it meant to be a survivor, what other people might want to know about surviving and how not to come off preachy, then it hit me.. make a list.. make a list of all the important things that happened to me while I was surviving surgeries, drug therapies, steroids, weight loss, weight gain, hair loss to name a few. Show how many good things happened to me in the years I survived. So that’s what I’ve done, I’ve made a list of all the important things in my life that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t survived. I’m leaving them in a list format because it works. These events took place over 6 years from 2011 to today and speak for themselves:
- Went to our son’s high school graduation
- Went to our daughter’s college graduation
- Survived so long I don’t recognize some of the nurses at the hospital
- Learned how to be comfortable with CT scans
- Learned how to be comfortable with my scars
- Learned how to be myself
- Learned how to let go
- Hung wallpaper
- Bought a white couch
- regularly struck up conversations with strangers
- made people laugh
- told my friends how I really felt about them
- let people in
- made some new friends
- decided to go for it
- decided not to be afraid to try new things
- admitted I’m not the best at everything
- learned to fail gracefully
- bought a pink Vespa
- named her Miss Pearl
- Became a spokesperson for Melanoma Network
- Talked in front of cameras and microphones about melanoma
- Talked about being naive and using tanning beds
- Talked to patients about cancer
- Talked to patients about dying
- Faced my own fears
- Talked to patients about living
- Shared my own experiences
- Shared hope
- Raced through my bucket list
- Turned 50 and was thrilled
- Learned to cook a prime rib
- Learned to kayak
- Started a small business
- Negotiated and bought a fixer upper
- Got a mortgage all on my own
- Became a general contractor
- Became the boss
- Kicked ass
- Renovated, landscaped, learned too much about HVAC
- Felt adulty
- Felt proud
- Sold the fixer upper
- Felt accomplished
- Took some amazing holidays with our family
- Went on a Caribbean cruise
- Said yes to some speaking engagements
- Saw Amsterdam, London, New York, Maui
- Hosted a family reunion
- Made jerseys for the event
- Made some memories
- Drank a bit
- Ate too much
- Joined Airbnb as a host
- Cancelled my Airbnb account
- Chatted with a celebrity with confidence
- Moved our daughter to BC
- Joined a gym
- Hired a trainer
- Celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary last year
- Bought a new property
- Hired a builder
- Hired an architect
- Going to design our next house
- Not going to be the general contractor
- Feeling grateful for all my wonderful experiences
- Feeling grateful for all my 6+ years
- Remembering cancer
- Remembering to be look around every day
- Remembering to watch my moles
- Remembering what having cancer was like
- Remembering I’m through it
- Being thankful
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