yesterday we went to a conference for thyroid cancer survivors... there's this thing you talk about here--the moment when you decide to be a survivor. it was a major point in one of our talks, and i realized that i've had kind of a fragmented, insecure relationship with this aspect of the process.
i was given pretty secure statistics at the go point--the variant i was "almost definitely" diagnosed with (they wouldn't be absolutely certain until the surgery was complete, so that was sort of a flapping uncertainty for the three months before the OR) has a 99% survival rate (not 100%, though, and as the number of cases increase, the survival rate will probably change) and more than a few health professionals told me 'it's the cancer to have.'
which, you know... okay, didn't want cancer. at all. i am incredibly grateful that treatment methods for my cancer are so advanced and my prognosis is so good, but that doesn't make it not cancer. the emotional process still needs to happen, and i'm recognizing that i shortchanged myself on identifying (and feeling) the very real sadness and mortality fears my diagnosis brought up.
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yesterday we went to a conference for thyroid cancer survivors... there's this thing you talk about here--the moment when you decide to be a survivor. it was a major point in one of our talks, and i realized that i've had kind of a fragmented, insecure relationship with this aspect of the process.
i was given pretty secure statistics at the go point--the variant i was "almost definitely" diagnosed with (they wouldn't be absolutely certain until the surgery was complete, so that was sort of a flapping uncertainty for the three months before the OR) has a 99% survival rate (not 100%, though, and as the number of cases increase, the survival rate will probably change) and more than a few health professionals told me 'it's the cancer to have.'
which, you know... okay, didn't want cancer. at all. i am incredibly grateful that treatment methods for my cancer are so advanced and my prognosis is so good, but that doesn't make it not cancer. the emotional process still needs to happen, and i'm recognizing that i shortchanged myself on identifying (and feeling) the very real sadness and mortality fears my diagnosis brought up.
can i ask what type of cancer you've survived?