A Cancer Journey Never Ends

I have really been thinking lately about how short my life span is getting.  I started focusing on it while I was taking care of my dad.  He put it into perspective when he said he had lived a good life and if he wasn't given a few more years then so be it. He has outlived a lot of people he knows and he has a great attitude about death and dying.  I wondered if he had felt that his life had been what he wanted, so I asked him.  He replied that he had a good life and that his family had been the greatest joy of his life.  He seemed quite content with how his life had turned out.   He is still the happiest person I know and he will tell you that he feels great.   He is still smiling and making me laugh.

We are all going to be terminal someday.  Some of us learn our fate at the doctor's office,  some of us have fatal accidents, and some of us never wake up.   The main thing is at some point we realize that we are not immortal and that every day is a precious gift to do as much as we can.  I was at one time focused on the future and trying to decide at what point something was suppose to happen.  After living with my husband and his cancer, we both realize that today is the future and we love this very moment.  We are no longer saying someday we will plan for our remaining life.  We are living our life right now.  Cancer has changed our thought process and made us stronger than ever.

I just finished reading an article on the MD Anderson facebook page.  It was an interesting article that my husband and I could relate to.  The article was called "If you think cancer ends with surviving, think again," by Rhonda Wendler.  It can be viewed on the MD Anderson facebook page and is well worth reading for all cancer patients and their family and spouses.   This article was validation for us that we are not alone with the many difficulties that we had after my husband's treatment ended.  Life is not and will never be the same.   We are still to this day dealing with the uncertainty that cancer has brought to our life.  It has made us aware that we are strong and we have a beautiful life.   The material things no longer seem to be important and that is not to say that we don't dream or have a wish list.  We have accepted that our life is just a bit more challenging most days.  The recurrence of the cancer is always on our mind even if unspoken and it does take front seat in all our major life decisions.

My husband and I were pleased to read in the article presented by MD Anderson that a doctor in the Lymphoma department has played a major role in acknowledging that a cancer patient's journey is never over when their treatment ends. I am happy to learn that this doctor has been pivotal in bringing awareness to the physical, emotional, and psychosocial needs of survivors.  My husband had asked his doctor after his treatments ended about a survivor ship plan.  He was told there was no such thing.  I read in the article about  something called the "Passport to Health".   This would have been beneficial and would greatly help my husband when visiting his PCP.  I encourage all cancer patients to read the article on facebook.

We can not change what has happened in our journey with cancer, but we can educate ourselves and others, so that our journey with life is what we want.  It is not up to someone else to decide what our life story should be.  It is our story and we get to tell it the way we see it.  I hope that the movement to help cancer survivors and their families deal with the many issues they face will become a routine part of the care they receive.

I love You my Husband!  You are a wonderful survivor !!! @ 2015  Light the Night

Life is beautiful !!

Elizabeth:)