A year later

A year ago today, I had surgery to remove my thyroid and some lymph nodes due to cancer. I remember going into surgery feeling a little scared and unsure of what's next, but ready to get this disease out of me and move on. The following year has been interesting.

If I'm honest, there are many times this year that I've forgotten I had cancer. I feel very lucky for that. So many others have more difficult experiences--diagnoses and treatments that affect the rest of their lives. My "difficulties" this year have been trying to reach the right hormone balance, tiredness from time to time, and weight gain--all pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things. I have a feeling that in the next year,  I will continue to get closer to my new normal.

As of today, everything looks really good. My ultrasounds are clear. And if you will allow me a bit of vanity, my scar looks pretty darn fabulous. It clearly has a super power of invisibility.

I think this whole thyroid cancer thing was just a speed bump in my life. Definitely not a detour.

And now there's a much better reason to remember this day. The birth day of my new niece, Lydia.

Yup, this is what life is truly about.