Five Years

Today is exactly five years since my diagnosis with colon cancer. The statistics I faced then were a 50% chance of surviving two years and a 5% chance of surviving five.

Some mechanical highlights: surgical tumor removal and colostomy, chemotherapy, exploratory surgery, peritonectomy and continuously heated intra-abdominal chemotherapy, colostomy reversal and temporary loop ileostomy, ileostomy reversal, chemotherapy, radiation, more chemotherapy, more different chemotherapy, tumor reduction and continuously heated intra-abdominal chemotherapy, colostomy, and radiation (ongoing).

Some emotional highlights: time with friends and family, travel, productive work, creativity, games, movies, good food, live music, and new experiences.

The amount of support it took to get me through these five years (and maintain most of my sanity) is illustrated by this collage of just some of the get well cards my girlfriend gave me for nearly every doctor's office visit and treatment session during these years.