Hey BBF, I know exactly what you are going through. Two years ago I found a lump in my neck, throught it was my adams apple, but it was growing off to the side. In the months to follow it grew rapidly. After many tests and such (I just wanted it cut out!!!!) I had surgery and it was cancer. I was 26 at the time. After another surgery and radiation I'm fine! I go in for scans once a year and after 5 years I'll have my clean bill of health.
When I was 26 I was 185lbs, over weight, couldn't run 1/2 mile without dieing, stressed out most of the time, type A personality, priorities were all wrong, my whole outlook on life was very wasteful. Now I'm 200lbs, I was running 5k one evening a week in around 33-35 minutes (no walking) until it got too cold (will start back up in the spring, hopefully next week :grin: ), started lifting weights three times a week at the beginning of the year, I've very laid back, relaxed most of the time, I don't get stressed about stuff. My wife (yea, got married after my surgeries and radiation to a nurse, RN/BSN
) says I'm almost too laid back now.
I guess what I'm saying, and trying to use my life as an example, that getting cancer isn't the first day of your death, it's the first day of your new life. You're probably amazed, already now, how your outlook on life has changed. How things that were important and worried and stressed over before don't phase you. Let this be a good thing. Let it make you stronger both emotionally and eventually physically.
I'm 29 now, it's been almost 2 1/3 years since I was diagnosed. In that time I've changed alot and my life has changed alot. And everything is better, and will be better, because of what I went through.
The old saying is true, "what doesn't kill us makes us stronger"
You won't die from this (might as well be confident and positive right?) so this is going to make you stronger. And by the way you handle yourself through this you can be an inspiration and testimony to others. I was a youth leader when I went through everything, I had some very sobering conversations with the kids, and I could see how some of the teenagers really watched closely on how I handled the situation, learning how they should handle similar situations in their lives.
You've been given alot of opportunities now in your life and in the lives of those around you, to create change. And change for the better.
Good luck, and if you ever want someone to talk to drop me a PM.
Hey, and it's been all I could do to hold it together typing this note! It's a very emotional thing to go through!!!
Later,
scruffy
