International Survivor Day

Cancer is the worst. Obviously. I don't think anyone hears the words "you have cancer" and doesn't have some idea of what to expect--we've seen the movies, we've seen our family members go through it, and we all know somebody who knows someone who's had cancer before. Everyone is on the same page that cancer is pretty shitty and we pretty much know to expect a lot of bad before you get to start living again, and that's if you are lucky enough to survive.

What they don't tell you about cancer is that the hardest part is surviving. Living life post treatment is one of the most soul crushing, confusing, rollercoaster rides in the world--one minute you are at the top, happy to be alive, and the next you are quickly spiraling downward, heading toward "what if it comes back again?" territory. You're tired. You're emotional. Everything you have been suppressing during treatment to just try to survive and get through it all comes rushing out of you like an erupted geyser of so much pain, fear, and guilt. Through all of this you are expected to pick up all the pieces of your life that have been destroyed by the disease and move on like nothing happened.

What people don't understand is that life isn't like an unfinished book that you can put away for a while and get back to when it's convenient. You don't just pick up where you left off. When something catastrophic and life changing happens. It's more like picking up that book again, but now, for some reason, the words are upside down and you have to adapt to finish the book. It's something I want supporters and people who have friends and family going through cancer to understand--the work doesn't finish after treatment; it just becomes harder and more confusing and because of this, survivors are some of the strongest, most kick-ass people around!

Congratulation to all survivors today and every day for being poked, prodded, poisoned, and sliced and still making it through to tell your story. I'm so proud of you. Whether you are running marathons and celebrating life every day or struggling and still picking up the pieces of your former life, you are making strides (however big or small), and that needs to be celebrated.