The Top 10 Reasons I’m Glad I Was Diagnosed with Kidney Cancer in 2011

Minnesota Girl
Minnesota Girl Member Posts: 119
in Kidney Cancer #1
I am going to speak as the honorary survivor at our local Relay for Life. As I work on my talk, I thought you all might appreciate my closing Top Ten list:

1. The lesson in humility
2. A two month ‘vacation’ from work
3. The modern technology that caught my cancer early
4. Being diagnosed at a time when research and body of knowledge about kidney cancer is ever-growing
5. The incredible medical resources in central Illinois
6. The new friends I’ve made in the Cancer Survivor’s Network
7. A deeper appreciation for the survivors I’ve been supporting
8. The motivation to take better care of my health
9. Perspective
10. Joining the 2012 Relay For Life as a SURVIVOR!!!

Comments

  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #2
    Sounds Good
    I would have mentioned the free t shirt you get as a survivor

    Icemantoo
  • growler9
    growler9 Member Posts: 48
    #3
    Don't forget the body art
    Between 4 surgeries for my heart and 2 for my kidneys in 2011, I picked up 3 feet of very expensive body art that I never miss a chance to show off because it's just so darn sexxxeeey! UH-HUH! Which way to the nude beach?!! Alan
  • Minnesota Girl
    Minnesota Girl Member Posts: 119
    #4
    growler9 said:

    Don't forget the body art
    Between 4 surgeries for my heart and 2 for my kidneys in 2011, I picked up 3 feet of very expensive body art that I never miss a chance to show off because it's just so darn sexxxeeey! UH-HUH! Which way to the nude beach?!! Alan

    HA!
    Good one!!
  • Texas_wedge
    Texas_wedge Member Posts: 2,798
    #5
    Minnesota Girl said:

    HA!
    Good one!!

    Healthy living
    Good luck with the talk (which I'm sure will be a great success).

    Like many of us, you had no presentiment that you were ill - your picture shouts good health - but you had cancer. I'm guessing you might tell your audience what sort of tell-tale signs to look out for and what sort of check-ups could be wise. I wonder if another topic you'll touch on will be lifestyle. I'm led to that thought by your number 8.

    You're a giver and that side of your lifestyle didn't need any improvement so it would be interesting to know in what ways you're taking better care of your own health. As an avid information gatherer, what have you learned and how have you modified your lifestyle to underwrite what we hope will be a long, healthy future?
  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #6
    growler9 said:

    Don't forget the body art
    Between 4 surgeries for my heart and 2 for my kidneys in 2011, I picked up 3 feet of very expensive body art that I never miss a chance to show off because it's just so darn sexxxeeey! UH-HUH! Which way to the nude beach?!! Alan

    Welcome back...
    growler,

    Haven't heard from you for awhile, good to know you still have that keen sense of humor.
  • garym
    garym Member Posts: 1,647
    #7
    Top 10...
    MG,

    Don't let David Letterman find out you're cramping his style, LOL. Love the list and the positive way you are moving forward, your speech is going to be a hit. Any chance we'll be able to catch it on You Tube?

    Rock on,

    Gary
  • alice124
    alice124 Member Posts: 896 Member
    #8
    icemantoo said:

    Sounds Good
    I would have mentioned the free t shirt you get as a survivor

    Icemantoo

    top 10
    MG,

    The list looks great. I hope you can work in somewhere a renewed appreciation of humor and laughter. John nor I no longer take it for granted. We savor a good laugh such as the one iceman just provided above. Good luck. You will no doubt ROCK!
  • DMike
    DMike Member Posts: 259
    #9
    garym said:

    Top 10...
    MG,

    Don't let David Letterman find out you're cramping his style, LOL. Love the list and the positive way you are moving forward, your speech is going to be a hit. Any chance we'll be able to catch it on You Tube?

    Rock on,

    Gary

    List
    I like your list MG. I'm sure you'll do great with the speech. Interesting that one of the guided imagery segments on Gerald White's MAARS program mentions picturing yourself speaking about being a cancer survivor!
    I am upset that I didn't get my free t-shirt. Jeez, Iceman you're supposed to tell us about these things!
    --David
  • donna_lee
    donna_lee Member Posts: 1,045 Member
    #10
    DMike said:

    List
    I like your list MG. I'm sure you'll do great with the speech. Interesting that one of the guided imagery segments on Gerald White's MAARS program mentions picturing yourself speaking about being a cancer survivor!
    I am upset that I didn't get my free t-shirt. Jeez, Iceman you're supposed to tell us about these things!
    --David

    Kudos
    You are honored to be a survivor! Somehow the term honorary survivor sounds like some author who is awarded a Dr. of Letters just because he wrote a popular book. Semantics.

    But I like your top 10. I've been thru all of them and was not only asked to speak at our Survivor's luncheon program, but was later made Grand Marshall for the Survivor's Lap at Relay. These were definitely not any of the goals on my life list.

    You never dream you'll have cancer, or hope to be a survivor..."but now I are one." We re-watched Forrest Gump with our 16 year old grandson the other night. Funny and Poignant, plus the fact that my husband and I were both of that generation and lived thru those times.

    They say that you never forget where/what/when you learned of some events. Kennedy's assissination was being buzzed about as some of us walked across campus my Jr. year. We filled up the 3rd floor room in Ed Hall for Dr. Ned Marksheffel's "Methods of Reading" class. He brought in a small desk type radio, plugged it in and tuned to an AM station that was carrying network announcer feed. Fifty minutes later, draped in silence, we all filed out, changed by events beyond our control, and maybe the first truly grown up event we'd been exposed to.

    Here we are, almost 50 years later, and still experiencing things over which we have no control, such as cancer, and learning to make the best of it.

    So go, enjoy your talk, make the audience laugh, be proud of yourself and accomplishments, and live to survive. All best wishes and good luck.
    donna_lee
  • icemantoo
    icemantoo Member Posts: 3,361 Member
    #11
    icemantoo said:

    Sounds Good
    I would have mentioned the free t shirt you get as a survivor

    Icemantoo

    The T shirt
    Minnesota Girl,

    That new T shirt makes you look younger already.

    Icemantoo
  • matchframe
    matchframe Member Posts: 58
    #12
    List
    That is an awesome list MG!! I got my first Survivor's shirt at our local relay for life this year. I have been to several relay for life before but never dreamed I would be wearing a Survivor's shirt.
  • Shan_39
    Shan_39 Member Posts: 17
    #13
    Congrats


    I love the list MG! I just did my first relay for life as a survivor myself, and I'm over joyed that I am a survivor! Next, I'm going to do the Dirty Girl Cancer Run/Walk.

    Shannon

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