A New Chapter

Last Friday, July 21st, I received wonderful news from my doctor. The results from the CT scan are positively remarkable -- My body continues to heal. Tarceva is doing exactly what is meant to do – attack cancer cells. The smaller nodules in my lung are not visible anymore, one of the two larger tumors has shrunken to the point that it can not be measured and the other tumor has diminished in size by 50 to 60 percent. All that is left on the outside of my lung is scar tissue. My immune system is normal and all my organs are functioning properly.

The silver lining is brighter than ever.

My life has been transformed, as if a metamorphosis; I’m able to appreciate even the most minor details of my every day life. They joy of waking up every morning and knowing that there is absolutely nothing that can hold me back from being happy.

The past 9 months have been an incredible journey, as challenging as it has been, it has also been rewarding and fruitful. I have gain so much from it. I no longer live in denial of my mortality, I fully understand how fragile and delicate life is (and because of that, I am stronger than ever before). I fully comprehend the fact that none of us are guaranteed how many tomorrows any of us will have, all that counts, is today, right now, right this precise moment, for the future is just an illusion to distract us from the present. I refuse to fall into the same routine of a monotonous life – I look for meaning in all that surrounds me. Losing the innocence of an non-guaranteed future has taught me to live each and every moment to the maximum, to absorb life and all its wonderful gifts, to love with all my passion, to give unconditionally, to wrap my arms around those who I love, to laugh as loud as I can and as often as I can, and to forgive (which was very difficult for me) those whose intentions are other than good, for now I understand that when one intentionally hurts another person, there must be incredible turmoil within.

Above it all, I am grateful for a second chance to LIFE.

Fear does not threaten me anymore.