Laz’ 5 year Anniversary!

lp1964

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow will be the 5 year anniversary of my diagnosis. Clearly remember the dreaded phone call I received from my doctor in my office’s bathroom. I kind of knew, but was still shocked and went back to work. 

10 months of treatment: radiation, chemo, surgery, more chemo. After I felt better divorce and hit the floor again. 

But got up, dusted off and rebuilt again. I live on my sail boat in beautiful Los Angeles, spend the weekends in Vegas, in a great relationship again, my daughter doing great in college, I work, write poetry, travel etc.

Well, missing a few body parts, 30 inches of scars, colostomy, but I’m alive and feel very alive.

I still come here every day, because I cannot appreciate enough the support and the knowledge I received here. You guys saved my life and literally saved my life when my chemo dose was grisly miscalculted and brought it to my attention. You are my heros, and heroines.

Here is a poem about what we need the most of sometimes:

Patience

 

I know your mind's been heavy for way too long,

Fighting your fights all along, all alone,

It's time let go and move on,

For a new day is rising on the horizon.

 

I think about you every day,
There is no doubt you're in my heart,

There was a time I didn't know why,

But you gave many reasons,

For my thoughts about you to multiply. 

 

Lift your face to that brand new day,

When the long nights and old fights will end,

To be replaced with new games and new ways,

When you no longer have to pretend.

 

You just have to take it slow, things will be just fine,
Put your faith in patient time,
Those heavy thoughts,

Just let them fly,

Things will fall in place,

All you need is a little patience.

Wish everybody all the best in the struggle.

Laz

JanJan63

Not a nice anniversary to

Not a nice anniversary to remember Laz. But you're here and you're doing well and I'm so happy for you! It sounds like your life has bounced back, yay!

My five year anniversary will be this December 31. 

Hugs,

Jan

SandiaBuddy

Congratulations

Congratulations on your fifth.  Thanks, also, for all your helpful comments.

Pamcakes

Congratulation!! Wonderful

Congratulation!! Wonderful poem!

BRHMichigan

Thanks for sharing

Enjoyed the poem very much. How wonderful that you are alive and happy and enjoying life 5 years later! I'm just one year into this mess. Really inspired by your story and the beautiful gratitude you have.

Trubrit

Beautiful poem

What a lovely poem, Laz. 

So very happy that life is treating you well, and you're treating life well. 

I must get back down and visit. It was such a joy spending time with you, when I was visiting Yo. 

Keep up with all of the joyful living. 

Tru

Annabelle41415

Woohooo

That is awesome.  Thanks for being such a great contributor on this board.  Wishing you the best in the future.

Kim

Canadian Sandy

Congratulations Laz! 

Congratulations Laz! 

Ruthmomto4

Congratulations on your 5 years!

I am glad your journey has brought you to a good place now. Thank you for all you kindness and support  on this board!!! 

ron50

congratulations Laz

Wishing you a cancer free future. Ron.

darcher

Congrats

  It gives me something to shoot for.  My follow up colonsoscopy is in a couple weeks and I'm terrified. Although I was lucky in a lot of ways it still is a horrible disease and the best we can do most days is try to stay focused on other things.  Falling into the cancer pit is like hell as we all know.   Getting to 5 years is pretty much the goal.  Make it there and you're cured, so says my oncologist. 

PamRav

Hooray

for you!  Wishing you many, many more years of good health.  

I’d say this calls for a really big celebration!!

all the best

pam 

Cindy225

Patience

Laz – Five years!  That’s a huge milestone.  Congrats!  So happy that you feel so alive and are enjoying life to the fullest.  Living on a sailboat in LA writing poetry sounds fabulous…

Cindy

beaumontdave

Nice stuff, Laz, happy five

Nice stuff, Laz, happy five years NED and it's great you've found a lifestyle you enjoy. Picking up the pieces and forging ahead is a great testament to survivorship, a story we all can celebrate..............................Dave

Helen321

WOOT WOOT LAZ!!!!!!!!  You're

WOOT WOOT LAZ!!!!!!!!  You're one year behind me with the same surgery and treatment so I'm always able to keep up with where you are.  I envy that you found a new someone, I'm struggling in the department. Hard to even tell someone you have no anus, nevermind get them to accept it.  It's fantastic that you found a person who accepts you for you.   Living on a boat is AMAZING!  So glad that with all the lemons, you picked them up and threw them right back, screw lemonade.  What did you end up doing for a living?  Did you ever go back to dentistry?

traci43

congrats!

Well done Laz!  Five years, the time flies.  I'm happy you are doing well, have found someone, and an incredible new normal.  May you continue to be cancer free for years to come.  Traci

lp1964

Yes, I went back to...

...dentistry. It’s not easy with all that sitting and the colostomy bag. The only way I can do it is that I clean my bowels once a week with milk of magnesia then I don’t have any output for 4-5 days.