On May 14, 2020, I had a medical procedure performed. After the procedure, I was informed by the doctor that I have cancer. My life quickly turned upside down, and all I could think of was my future and my precious family. Not to mention, I had received the hard news on my daughter’s birthday. Celebrating her special day was extremely difficult because my mind was racing and full of questions about my diagnosis.
I underwent major surgery and chemotherapy and I became a different person during the process. My anxiety, depression, and PTSD were considerable barriers to enjoying my life. In December 2020, I was in remission. When receiving the news, I jumped for joy! No more chemotherapies. No more vomiting and severe nausea. No more fatigue. No more severe memory loss episodes. I was GRATEFUL.
I began to learn how to live a new life.
LIFE? What is LIFE? How did I embrace LIFE after receiving a cancer diagnosis and then entering the realm of remission?
HOW do I LOVE life? How can I find myself again?
Having cancer raised those questions on a daily basis, and although I was happy to be in remission, this led to severe depression and PTSD. I even faced several health challenges after being in remission.
So, I have decided to SLAM the brakes to STOP the cycle. The cycle of health challenges, fluctuating days, and the process of replaying the same memories over and over while questioning the “What ifs.” My dear husband comforted me with these words that are now infused in my mind, “Baby, focus on the NOW. Live life in the NOW.” He is right.
So, I have decided to live every day. If something hurts or is bothersome in my body, I respect and embrace it with kindness. I have learned not to overdo it, while simultaneously learning to live normally.
What does “live normal” mean? Let me help you paint this picture.
Imagine a dog running freely in the field with his tongue hanging out.
Or imagine a dog rolling in the grass enjoying themselves.
Or imagine a child playing, laughing, and smiling, enjoying themselves.
Or imagine going for a beautiful stroll to ground yourself, while calming your mind from the stress.
All in all, being normal means waking up each day and ENJOYING the day.
It means to do what you WANT to do each day.
It means get out of the bed AND BE ACTIVE.
It means stop with the daily Netflix binges.
It means start cooking and baking.
It means to go outside and play with your beautiful children.
It means to PLAY each day and have fun.
It means to laugh and smile.
It means to move forward….one step at a time.
Dearest reader, do not lose hope. Change your attitude. Change your thinking. Say it after me, “That is it! I have ENOUGH! Enough of this drama. Enough of this pain. I am alive, and I am going to enjoy my day!”
EMBRACE LIFE.
Love,
Ana
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