Thirteen years ago, I was handed a diagnosis with odds so low, no one wanted to say them out loud.
I fought for almost three years. It wasn’t a neat arc — more like a brutal marathon with surprise obstacle courses thrown in. But last week I finally graduated from annual oncology visits. Ten years cured. If I ever get cancer again, it’ll be a brand-new model, not a sequel.
My numbers now? Blood pressure, cholesterol — all better than people half my age. My health is, frankly, showing off. But here’s the truth: being “cured” doesn’t mean returning to some mythical “before.” My post-cancer normal still comes with chronic illness — just one I’ve learned to navigate like a seasoned pilot in unpredictable skies.
That’s where my SNAK point-of-view kicks in…
Skills: learning my body’s signals and adjusting before a storm hits.
Network: the doctors, friends, and fellow travelers who know the road.
Activities: moving, resting, pacing — not in balance, but in rhythm.
Knowledge: keeping up on the science, the treatments, the choices that keep me here.
Graduation day isn’t an ending. It’s a change of syllabus — from survival to thriving. And I’m ready for the advanced course!
