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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

"...But we get the strength to carry on
And build a life of our own making
We thank the Lord for each new day
And for every breath that we are taking

It's a good life
Far from the high life
And I thank God that this was my life"
- "This Was My Life", Celtic Thunder


Five years ago I got news that changed my life forever. It was a very Grey's Anatomy kind of moment. I was there in my hospital bed and in walked a doctor and about 5 interns and they all stood around my bed while they explained that I had cancer. Of course, they probably weren't prepared for my response, which was to spend the next half hour explaining to them exactly why I couldn't have cancer. You know you're in bad shape when your argument includes the phrase, "Maybe it's just hepatitis." In any case, as it turns out I did, and do, have cancer. Sort of a sucky way to start off 2006 but there you have it. My first treatment was a huge surgery in which almost three quarters of my liver was removed. And so began my cancer journey. My life would
never, never be the same again.



I feel that I have much that I could say about the past five years of my life and yet, at the same time, I feel I don't know what to say at all. So I’ve decided to not say much (I know, shocking, huh?) and instead share with you some pictures from the last five years.

Okay, this first picture is actually from the end of 2005 but I wanted to include it. This picture was taken at my sister's house and this trip to see her is really my last whole memory that is untainted by cancer. Soon after arriving home form visiting my sister I was in the hospital and then my whole world changed.





The music is "Cal/Local Hero" by Phil Coulter for Celtic Thunder

Five years! And they have been five pretty good years. Five! And at the beginning of all of this the doctors weren't even sure I'd make it one year. And so I head into the next five years filled with hope and ready to walk through whatever comes my way. No, my life hasn't gone exactly the way I thought that it would but this is my life and, rainiest days and all, I wouldn't trade away a second of it.
"...And looking back on all the years
The loves, the sweetness, and the sorrow
Have made me what I am today

And I'd do it all again tomorrow

It's been a good life
Far from the high life
And I thank God that this was my life

We can't deny life
How it flies by, life
And I thank God that this was my life"

- "This Was My Life", Celtic Thunder






1 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here's to 40 more years, not just 5.