A year ago, my family and friends surprised me with a drive-by parade as I was finishing up chemo (the next day). It was truly a milestone, one of the most important in my life, and serves as a reminder, as milestones do, of what I'm capable of.
A year later, I wake up with aches every morning and my hands and fingers will physically hurt until I start moving them... a fun side effect of my meds. The joint pain continues like it had with chemo, but I push through like I always have.
I know now that it was naive to think that after active treatment, everything would return to "normal." It was as if that part of my brain which knew it all along and wasn't ready to acknowledge it finally showed itself. I was a few months into taking my maintenance meds when I realized that I wouldn't ever feel the way that I used to, and needed to find a way to accept this part of my survivorship journey. It has truly been a lesson in managing both my physical and mental health. Now a year later, I know that I am strong in body and mind.
Every day is a blessing. I survive, and I live.
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