To my Facebook Friend who is Cancer-Free Today...

I woke up with a migraine today, but this is not something to complain about – because the important part isn’t the migraine.  I woke up today.

Eight years ago on this day, waking up was much more difficult.   I had just completed my final chemo treatment after nine grueling months of punishing infusions and surgery to remove a malignant tumor named Maury from my left foot.  He took a decent sized chunk of my left foot along with him – that bastard.

And waking up on October 1^st 2006 was NOT easy.  But I did it.  And I did it again the next day – and the days after that – even though I could barely get out of bed or eat – at least I woke up.

And sometimes I forget.  I forget just how remarkable my body is for healing and rebuilding and enduring all the sh*t I put it through.  I forget just how amazing and special the people in my life are that stood with me through that ridiculously difficult time when my own (ex)spouse couldn’t be bothered to lend a helping hand – or even live in a neighboring time zone…

Sometimes I wonder where my opportunities are to succeed.  And I wonder who will love me and stand by me into my future years.  And then I see someone online rejoicing that he or she is cancer free – for one year – two years – one month…

And then I remember.  I woke up today.  And the day before that.  And the day before that. 

2006 and 2014 - respectively.  I went bald before Brittney! But s'rsly - check out the luscious locks ;) 

I whine sometimes.  My foot hurts after I’m on it for ‘too long.’  Not too shabby when the doctors told me I might never walk again.  I get a migraine and beat myself up because I didn’t get all the things done that I’d planned on that day.  Not bad – considering that for nearly two years, I couldn’t complete a simple household task without getting dizzy and winded.

So thank you Steve, for reminding me that I’m celebrating today as well.  And congratulations to you and to everyone else who woke up today after fighting the good fight.  I hope you forget too.  I hope you complain about stupid trivial things that you’re currently vowing you’ll never take for granted again.  And then, every so often, I hope you’ll remember :)