999

That’s how many days I’ve been cancer free.   Nine hundred ninety nine days.   I’ve had 23,976 minutes – healthy minutes – with my family and friends that I wasn’t sure I’d ever have.  

Tomorrow I mark 1,000 days of bonus life.   Can I say how much I love that without jinxing it?

I saw Dr. Villa, my oncologist, today for my 999 day checkup.   It was my eleventh 3-month appointment over the last two years, 8 months and 25 days.   Actually, I forgot I even had an appointment today until I looked at the calendar this morning.   I’ve been very busy.   But I choose to look at my forgetfulness as a very, very good sign.  

It means I’ve been feeling so healthy that there has been no reason for the insidious paranoia that haunts and torments all cancer survivors. It means cancer is not the focus of my life anymore.   I wasn’t sure I’d ever see this day.  Is there any better news than that? 

Is this what it means to be a survivor?   Not a date on a calendar.   Not five years.   Not a countdown from date of diagnosis or surgery or end of treatment?   Perhaps, it’s just a feeling, instead.   Survivorship.   Surviving in body, mind and spirit.   A true return to normal.

I hope so, anyway.

Cross-posted to I Can’t Complain Any More Than Usual