What My Cancer Journey Taught Me – Part 1

Where should I start?

I am going to split this in to 2 separate posts but I could probably do many more, since I have learned so many things going through all that I have been through. So maybe the title should be some of the things I have learned.

Here is a little bit to catch you up on my cancer journey since I haven’t written about it too much recently.

Age 16, age 26, age 33 are the major mile markers.

At age 16, I was given the diagnosis of having non-hodgekin’s lymphoma. Basically meaning that cancer cells were winning the battle with both my lymph system and my immune system and growing stronger and creating tumors. There were multiple tumors identified in my neck and my chest. I went through a traditional treatment path with a biopsy, many rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

At age 26, I was given the diagnosis of having thyroid cancer. The thyroid is quite sensitive to radiation, so at that time it was a more probable secondary cancer after my previous radiation treatment. The thyroid is tiny but mighty. I plan to go more in depth about this organ soon in another post because it is pretty critical for everyone’s health.

The treatment path here was once again a pretty standard one. Cut out the bad thing. So I had surgery to remove the thyroid. A total thyroidectomy. Along with removing more lymph glands and also one of my saliva glands. As an added measure I did do what many go through with a radiation ablation treatment or RAI. The basic goal of that is to nuc whatever remaining thyroid cells are still kicking around and kill them.

When I received this treatment, the radiation detector in the hospital pharmacy confirmed I was radioactive right after receiving my drink. I went home for the required 7 days of isolation away from all other humans. As much as I might have hoped for new superhero powers to appear after that they did not. Aagghhh so disappointing I know.

At age 33, I had my latest cancer scare. I found a large mass in my abdomen. I went for an appointment to see my oncologist to take a look. By the end of that day, 3 oncologists were brought in to meet with me and they planned to immediately admit me to the ER. It was all a whirlwind and I worked hard to mentally catch up, but in the end I had a major abdominal surgery to remove the mass, which was the size of a small watermelon, and confirm if it was the aggressive cancer they thought it was.

In the end it was not cancer and with numerous miraculous or unexplained circumstances I mostly came through that with only a few bruises and scars. I still consider it a part of my cancer journey because it was a major, major cancer scare for me. As the 4 oncologists who worked on me can attest to.

So what did I learn?

Sometimes you are hit with a massive stick to wake up to a specific reality. I learned I needed to change what I was doing to change the outcomes I was getting. Major reality check. Even if it took time to understand and learn the lessons necessary. I learned valuable lifelong lessons at each stage of my cancer journey. And I am still learning more every day.

The circumstances I have come through have left deep, deep marks on my life, on who I am. I have worked to use these things as wake up calls for me. Sometimes it can be hard to know what exactly the wake up call should be, but even stopping and re-evaluating can help and be the first place to start.

I have learned that what I was doing, or wasn’t doing was at least partially placing me in the circumstances I was in. Once that had really sunk in I knew I needed to learn more, figure more out, see what I could do differently.

I wasn’t able to sit back and say “This just happened to me” and leave it at that. I was willing to question how I was a part of getting to the place I was in. What had I done to contribute? This was my attempt to grab some of the power back and use it to move forward with knowledge and purpose.

Now being on the other side of these situations I wish I could confidently say that I’ve got it all figured out. That I’ve learned all the lessons I need to about what I have been through or what happened to me. Oh boy, that would be a mistake. I’ve learned so much, but I know I have so much more to learn.

So one of the most critical lessons that my cancer journeys have taught me is that when you are given wake up calls, do not overlook them. Use them to positively move forward in whatever way you need to.

So friend, I hope you are even a tiny bit challenged by this. Is there something in your life that you feel might be a wake up call for you? It doesn’t have to be health related. It could be at work or in a relationship. How are you going to respond to the wake up call? I am praying for you as you face whatever you might be facing today. Don’t overlook the wake up call you are given.

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