HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

To all semi-colons: Have a wonderful 4th of July. There are so many new posts it is hard to keep up sometimes. I just want everyone new to know that you can beat this disease. I am a 7 and one-half year survivor of stage 3 rectal cancer. I endured all of the treatments and, for years, all of the after-effects of having your colon restructured. Your body WILL recover and you can return to a normal life. I see such great advice for dealing with the little details of life after colon surgery. It can get tiresome to retrain your system and your lifestyle...but it is worth it. I can remember the 4th of July in 1999 when I was recovering from surgery, wondering if that would be the last 4th of July that I would see...well, I've now seen them for 7 more years and no end in sight! You almost can't believe that you can get your life back...but you can and will. Live a positive life and be especially kind to yourself. Congratulate yourself for anything good (like doing a crossword puzzle, enjoying a cup of coffee or having a nice conversation with a friend) that you do in a day while you recover from treatment. Start small and regain your life in small doses. And stay ACTIVE, both physically and mentally. Movies, plays, books, hikes, walks, bowling, gardening, golf, curling, whatever!!! Keep or start to DO things. It is good for the soul, and it helps return your inner-strength. LIVE LONG AND LIVE STRONG SURVIVORS!