We learned today that someone we know is having the opposite experience to Andy's recent cancer scare: This guy just found out he does indeed have cancer and is having surgery in a couple of weeks to have his prostate removed. Granted, he's probably at least 10 years older than Andy, but it's still sobering to say the least. To think that he and Andy were both getting biopsies done around the same time, and both waiting through that hellish week for the results, but then we got the all-clear signal and this guy didn't....
Meanwhile, I find that I'm still processing our whole experience. Of course we're back to "real life" for the most part—I'm back to grumbling about Andy's tangled-up gym shorts in the laundry and Andy's back to grumbling about having to get up early and go to work. But in the background there's still a strong feeling of gratefulness and of somehow getting a "second chance" and, more importantly, a new perspective on what's important. When a typically annoying thing happens (a big scratch on the dishwasher, a stunningly high bill from the plumber for what I thought would be a tiny repair, even a really lousy cold), I find I can say, "Ah well, at least it's not cancer!"—and really mean it. That's a gift. And I'm fully aware that some (most?) people have to take a much longer, harder, sadder route to get there.
I'm also feeling very grateful to have learned that I have really supportive friends and family. It was excruciating to wait for the results of Andy's biopsy, and the few people who knew about it were great about checking in on us—not that there was anything they could "do" to help, but just to say, "Hi, I'm thinking of you and hoping you get good news soon." And then, when the good news did indeed come and I found myself wanting to shout it from the rooftops, the people who hadn't known were just as great. They understood why I didn't tell them while we were going through it (either because there was never a good moment or because I just didn't feel like talking about it anymore) but expressed their ex-post-facto support: "Oh, I wish I knew! Poor you! What you must have been going through! Thank God he's alright!" And I'm still feeling stunned and overwhelmed by the warm wishes and support that came flooding in from all over the blogosphere. People I've never met came out of the woodwork to share in our joy and relief. Thanks, my friends!
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