Counting down the days

I have a calendar hanging on the inside door of my pantry. I purposely put it in an inconspicuous place so I wouldn't be tempted to look at it on a daily basis. For the past two years my calendar has been the daily time keeper of my life. Appointments dot the squares in bright red marker so I don't inadvertently miss one of them. Along with those important medical events, I've also squeezed in some happy family events like birthdays and anniversaries. The older I get the more I need to write down lest I forget and so, my calendar has become a treasured possession.

There are two important events coming up on my calendar. The first is a visit with my oncologist. That event takes place in exactly 7 days. I have many things to discuss with him including the discovery of two new lumps. My doctor is usually very attentive although he's very busy. I also want to discuss the possibility of scheduling a bone density scan. It's been over 10 years since I've had one and he mentioned my needing to have another done in the near future. I've been having a lot of hip joint and leg pain lately and I think it might be time to go ahead and get that scheduled. I'm also looking forward to finding out what my lab tests reveal. Dr. F is diligent about performing blood work on every visit. I'm curious to see if my leukocytes are elevated.

Another very important date on my calendar is the two year anniversary of my surgery. I'm calling it my cancerversary. When I passed the first year mark of having my cancer removed, I was too afraid to celebrate. I thought it was too soon and I didn't want to jinx a good thing so I waited. In exactly 16 days, I will have lived two years since having both breasts removed. I'm feeling like celebrating and look forward to a great time rejoicing with my family. We've planned a nice dinner at one of our local restaurants. There will be balloons and cake. We'll thank God for allowing me to live and it will be a grand celebration.

It's always good to have things to look forward to in your life. My calendar used to be my enemy but now it's become a dear friend. I'm thankful it helps me stay on track and keep an accurate record of my life.

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