So this past week has been my 2-year cancerversary. Two years since I lost a bit of kidney in some cancer-related brouhaha. It's crazy to think of how different my life is now from them. I quit smoking (also 2 year anniversary) because the doc said that makes renal cell carcinoma more of a 'when' than an 'if' in terms of recurrence, I have more books out. I have a mostly finished crocheted patience blanket. I'm down to 1 dog, and not even the dog I went into the surgery with.
This week I've mourned Roxie (my beagle who died 3 days before my surgery) and my life without a massive level of daily pain. Both of those are as much an outcome as any bit of nubby, leftover kidney bits. I've mourned Kira (my other beagle who passed in December) who helped me immensely as I healed and continued to heal. In short, this is a week I take the time to reflect on all that's come between then and now.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. I've also put out more books, made plans for a LOT more and sketched out several.
Doctor Who fans will get this: this was a fixed point in time for me. This was something to go through, get past, with a distinct demarcation between before and after. I'm still learning how to live with the after, but that's really all we can do. Keep learning and keep going. I'm too hardheaded to quit anyway.
