Wednesday, April 12, 2006

13 years and still kicking!

I realized last night while reading a calendar of events in my latest US News magazine that I have been alive for 13 more years! My last chemotherapy treatment was on April 9th of 1993 which landed on a Good Friday (pun intended) of that year.

Between the date, the holiday, and my followup radiation treatments for cancer which ended in mid May of 1993, it is hard to decide which date to celebrate my remission. For me it has always been April 9th or Good Friday which represents a day of rebirth (rising from the dead).

I had really forgotten about it this year but looking back we had a really nice time last Sunday on April 9th. We went down to our old house and I visited with our lovely friend and former neighbor Irene. Afterward, we went to Seahurst Park on Puget Sound to walk the dogs. Low and behold and to our utlimate surprise, we ran into our friends Pat and Angela. Pat is one of the first friends that Harley made out here when we moved to Washington. Recently Pat just moved back to the area from Spokane so it was a total fluke that we happened to be at the same park at the same time (especially seeing as we live an hour or more from the park!)

The weather was fantastic and we saw a beautiful sunset. After the walk we dined with our friends at our favorite Thai restaurant in South Center.

Even though the significance of the date left my mind at the time, it was a great way to celebrate the anniversary of another 13 years of life! It is good to be alive.

One of my favorite quotes as of recently reads: "Fear not that life should come to an end, but that it should never have a beginning."

I can honestly say that I am very proud of the things I have overcome and feel satisfied by the things that I have done. I do feel that I have lived a pretty full life and I plan to continue to do so! Perhaps I would not be who I am or experiened life the same way if it had not been for my battle and survival with cancer.

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