An Important Anniversary

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my colon cancer surgery and next week I'm scheduled for a complete review (colonoscopy) of how things are doing. I've been having regular blood tests and Dr. visits throughout the past year and everything has been fine so far.

But anniversaries like this are significant, sometimes scary and yet also a time to celebrate. It was in May of last year that my cancer was discovered and the surgery was scheduled quickly with various tests, pictures and preparations made. I had a good expierience at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, NY. Great doctors and nurses and lots of support from family and friends.

What have I learned and experienced since? Well, the obvious things have been to try to take better care of myself through diet, exercise and moderation in lots of things. I've also spent a lot of time thinking about friends, colleagues and family. Memories have become more significant, relationships more important. I've also tried to inhale life a bit more intensely over the past year and yet I'm feeling the limits of age. I've learned to really respect and honor others who have struggled and fought the battle with cancer.

I lost a good part of the summer last year in various stages of recuperation. I wasn't able to do outside work, get out on the lake, etc. So far I've been making up for it this year and plan on continuing.

Anyway, that's an update and my own reminder of an important anniversary that I remember mostly from a hospital bed in a haze of medicine in early June of 2014.