Hi everyone
Today by day, tomorrow by date, it is a year since I received the news that I had Thyroid Cancer, and what a year it has been.
When I received the diagnosis, it came as a complete shock, so much so that I had to ask my parents to contact the doctor, who is a family friend, to confirm what I thought I had heard. I have been for surgery in February, and thankfully any check ups since have come back clear.
I returned to work in July on a phased return, and am now back full time. In September I started a new job within the same organisation (I work for one of the local Health Care Trusts in Northern Ireland in Finance), and have settled into that ok. My new manager has been very supportive.
I am on annual leave this week (I had a build up of annual leave carried forward from last year, and then this years annual leave balance), and part of this came about from talking to my manager a couple of weeks ago. He suggested that this week, and around the time of the anniversary of my diagnosis would be hard on me, and suggested I should take some time off around it, so I booked this week off. I have found over the last week or so that I have been thinking a lot about this time last year, and how much my life has changed.
I have also been very lucky with my partner, Pamela, who I had only met in June of last year, and 3 months into a new relationship she took someone on who had just been diagnosed with cancer. She has been with me every step of the way, and helped me with appointments and information, that I know if she hadn't been there, I would not have remembered to say, and this helped get things moving.
I was lucky, so far, in that I did not require any chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In August this year, I completed Brave the Shave in aid of Macmillan and raised over £1,000 which I was very happy with.
Tony
Hi Tony TonyHD4ba32c and great that you actively supported Macmillan - every penny counts.
Specific dates do tend to be a trigger and in the early days, for some it can be challenging to navigate but great that you have been able to move on with life and nurture a new relationship.
I was diagnosed in 1999 age 43 with my first rare (8 in a million) hard to treat incurable Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma…… Asbestosis was found in 2013 then my second rare (4 in a million) more aggressive Nn Hodgkin’s Lymphoma came along taking me to stage 4…….
So I had some intensive treatment between late 2013 to late 2015 (750hrs chemo, 45 radiotherapy zaps and 2 Allograft (donor) Stem Cell Transplants)……. I was also diagnosed with Prostate Cancer this April past……. so lots of trigger days over the years.
I turned 70 back in Nov last year and I am coming up to 11 years since my last treatment and my aim continues to be live life to the full.
All the very best.
Many congratulations Tony on your first anniversary, may there be many more.
I've found over my 12 year journey that anniversaries can bring mixed emotions, but thankfully are mainly positive and celebratory for me as the years roll by.
I celebrated my 70th birthday in July this year which was rather special.
With my best wishes, Derek.
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