This Is My One Year Anniversary of Being Cancer-Free

health / fitnessFebruary 21, 2016Comments: 2

Me on my last day of radiation treatment.

Well, actually, it was Friday, but this post was delayed by a brief bout with the flu. Thanks immune system. But it has now been a year since I got my cancer free diagnosis, and a visit to my cancer doc last week confirmed I am still cancer free.

Yay me!

I know I was very lucky to have beaten my cancer and to have gotten it before it reached my lymph nodes. Having lost both my mother and father to cancer, and having several of my friends dealing with cancer currently, I am amazed that I am a survivor.

I credit a lot of my recover to my team of doctors, and to my friends who helped keep me strong and make sure I got to my appointments.

I had a feeling something was off two years ago, but I was dealing with heart issues and was planning on finding out what these other symptoms were about after dealing with my heart. Then the pre-surgery x-rays for my heart showed a mass in my abdomen. I had a biopsy done by my first gynocologist, which revealed the mass was uterine cancer, stage one.

Hey, it’s not every day you can say doing the x-rays for your third heart surgery caught your cancer, right?

I had my heart catheter done, which revealed a pinched artery. I then had the choice between having more open heart surgery to fix it, or deal with the cancer. Knowing how fast cancer spreads. I opted to postpone my heart surgery and deal with the cancer, and it was a good thing that I did.

From the time I was diagnosed until I had my surgery was four months and two doctors later (my gyno referred me to a oncologist who only had privileges at the one hospital in Orlando that doesn’t take my insurance, so I got referred to another who turned out to be a most kick-ass doctor).

In those four months, I went from stage one uterine, to stage two uterine and cervical, and stage one ovarian. In only four months.

But as I said, we got it out before it spread to the lymph nodes, which is where it really would’ve taken hold on my body. I then underwent six weeks of daily external radiation after I had healed enough from the surgery, followed by two weeks of internal radiation. That was extremely painful, but I was willing to do whatever I had to in order to get rid of the cancer.

I figured being alive to bitch about it was far better than the other option.

Anyways, as of Friday, I have now been officially free of my cancer for one year. I feel constantly amazed and blessed that I can celebrate this milestone. I still have to stay vigilant, since cancer likes to reappear, but I’ll take this year and all that follow.

I know I’ve said it before, but thanks to all my friends who were there for me during what has been one of the scariest times of my life. To Rhonda and Carol for making sure I got to my appointments. To my friends who kept my spirits up, especially my Browncoat sisters. It seriously took an army behind me to get me through all the fears and treatments.

Fuck cancer. I’m glad I’m still alive to say that with all my heart. And I’m so happy I kicked its ass. One year down…

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About zengrrl

I'm Michelle Snow, the writer and creator of Zengrrl. I write about travel, entertainment, women's issues, health, body positivity, and more, both for this blog and freelance. I have also authored/co-authored four guidebooks on Orlando and Florida. If you aren't already following me, the links are below, as well as on the top right of this page. Thanks!

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Comments: 2

  1. Kitty Colbert February 22, 2016 at 3:18 am

    Massive congratulations on this milestone! 🙂 just found your blog and this is the first post I have read -I’m also a cancer veteran (I don’t really like the term survivor… kinda implies I actually did something to earn that title, lol).

    Hodgkin’s lymphoma, stage 2 and cancer free bout a year and 5 months now. I really miss having an immune system!
    Kitty Colbert wrote this post…My elephant in the room -The wheelchair conundrumMy Profile

    • zengrrl February 23, 2016 at 10:10 am

      I’m good with either term. =) And you did earn it – we both did – with all of the surgeries and other treatments we’ve had to go through. Good to hear you’ve kicked your cancer to the curb, too! Thanks for stopping by Kitty!