Everything that happens seems to have an upside and a down side, even when it comes to cancer. I have written much about the downside of cancer, so I thought I would write about the upside to my particular disease.
First, I get out of a lot of work. Admittedly, I have to make up hours (other than the 1100 hours I took off from 4/2012-1/2013, using short and long term disability) and frequently work long days to account for the time off, I still get to frequently leave work early and no one will question why. About a month or so ago, I had my octreoscan and that involves getting an injection at about 10:00 and then returning for the scan at about 2:00. I took advantage of this and went and saw a movie that I knew Stephanie did not want to see. Middle of the day movie theaters are quite sparse and you really get your choice of seats.
Another advantage is the 'Cancer card'. When I first started working out here in Colorado Springs, people joked about the kid card. Gotta leave work early for soccer practice (kid card). Had to stay home late to take the kids to the dentist (kid card). Don't want to go to that work gathering? Kid card!
Cancer cards work the same way but, unlike the kid card that often drew resentment, cancer cards draw sympathy! Party is boring? Cancer card, not feeling well tonight... Need an excuse to not go to that gathering? Cancer card. Got sat next to the really annoying person? Cancer card! Of course, now that I have talked about it, it will be a bit less effective... I really don't pull out the cancer card too often but it is wonderful having a ready made excuse for almost anything! :-)
Travel. I had never been to New Orleans before having cancer and it is one of those places that is fun to visit. Stephanie and I have been there many times over the past few years and have gotten to explore much about that city and the area around it. Of course, it does tend to take some of the magic out of the trip when you are there for treatment, or surgery, or to try and find out what can be done but it still is fun to have those trips together.
My cancer is one of very slow growing ones. Fortunately, I do have doctors that consider it cancer (some fellow carcinoid sufferers have been told that they don't have 'real' cancer) and I have been able to have it treated relatively well. The side affects of the medicines I have had to take are minimal to non-existent and the cancer has, up until this year, not really interfered with normal life. I still have my hair, I have not had the extreme nausea that some experience from chemo, and I have had 12.5 years of living what most would consider a very normal life of skiing, cycling, and activities with the kids.
Cancer still sucks but there are upsides. I don't know if I would be writing this if I had a pancreatic cancer or something extreme like that but I am lucky and there are silver linings that I can see.
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