If it weren't for Cancer..

Hard to believe that next month it will be 19 years since my diagnosis with Ovarian cancer. It was a week before my 25th birthday and I had no idea that I was about to be smacked in the head with a 2x4. 

So much has happened since then both personally and professionally and even though there are hard times and bad days I cannot help but try to remain hopeful and positive. The truth is I'm living on bonus time. 

I have recently started saying bonus time, because "borrowed" time sounded rather like I'd taken it from someone else and it always made me feel sad when I'd hear of someone else who cancer had taken. I'd wonder why I was spared and they were taken.  I have to believe that on some weird level that someone on the planning committee wasn't done with me yet.  There must be a plan somewhere right?

I won't ever forget the day the doctor came in and gave me the news, telling me how lucky I was to be alive -- they'd lost 3 litres of blood during surgery and by all accounts I could have -- perhaps SHOULD have -- died.

It was the start of a long and sometimes uphill med battle (my life as a guinea pig - many of you have heard me call it) but I'm still here.. so it's all good, right 

Though the med drama is sometimes overwhelming and there are days when I'd like to submit my resignation to somebody - anybody - for the most part we just adjust to what becomes the "new normal" and carry on.  

It's like the words of that Trace Adkins song. . "I'm Just happy to be here"..