What do I hope to achieve?

So - why a blog? Why take my experience and let my fingers translate it on my computer screen for people I might not know to read?

Why?

Well, the most critical reason is that I need to get my thoughts out. Coping with a diagnosis of cancer is huge and overwhelming and exhausting and scary. If I left my thoughts bouncing around in my head I know I would tend to spiral towards depression and hopelessness. By getting my thoughts and fears and hopes out there - out of my head and into a world that I can see and understand - I remove some of the power that they would have over me.

But there is another reason.

I will survive my diagnosis, as scary as it is. I will survive my major abdominal surgery and even possibly chemotherapy or radiation. I will be cured of my cancer, not just treated for it. That's not the reason I want to share my story, but the reason that I will survive is.

I will survive because my cancer was diagnosed early. It was diagnosed early because of the existence of screening programs and the fact that I participated in one. I will continue to be a healthy and productive member of society because of these screening programs.

If I make a difference to just one person, if just one person in the world poops on a piece of paper and submits their FIT sample for screening, if just that one person is diagnosed early and as a result they get to live to see their grandkids grow up or they get to learn to ride a motorcycle like they always wanted or they get to continue doing work they find meaningful, then it will be worth it.

If I can make a difference in just one life, it will be worth it.

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