From Cancer Patient to Cancer Survivor

Almost a year has passed by since I was diagnosed with stage 2 renal cancer and what a difference a year makes.
I feel as if I have gone through a Kafka- like metamorphosis. The person I once was no longer exists and I am now someone completely different- older, wiser. I lost the innocence of living a care-free life. No one other a fellow cancer patient or survivor can understand.
Yesterday I heard what I thought I wanted to hear: "as of today, there appears to no longer be any cancer cells in your body." I thought I would be jumping for joy or even crying, but I didn't. I thanked my doctors and nurses and made my following appointment. I will forever be a cancer patient in one form or another. I still have two more procedures left, scans every three months, etc. But it is not the physical routine that will define me as a cancer patient, it's the psychological footprint this experience left me with.

I wanted to take this time to thank my cancer "team" as I fondly named them.

Thank you Sylvester Cancer Center in Miami, Florida. Doctors M, P, T, and and A; nurses A,S, G, and countless others who joked and cheered throughout this ordeal.
My WAshigton DC team: NIH, Georgetown Cancer center, Washington urology Surgeons, Doctors: S,T,B, and M. Nurses: D,A,S and E. Amazing surgeons amazing urologist.
Last, but not least: my friends and family. Without you I would be nothing. Thank yiu for all the prayers: My parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblins. Having a huge family is amazing! Never felt alone for a second. Love you. Thank you for holding my hair when I threw up after treatment, for spoon feeding me when I was too weak to feed myself, for holding my hand as my hair was buzzed, for getting me out of the house when I was too depressed, for cheering me up with makeup distractions or fashion talk.. For just being there when I needed you.
Thank you- parents, siblings, J: love you for being there for me and sticking by me and being my rock; D: for supporting me and being my friend; Y, K, K, N, and j for always making time for me and cheering me up when I was at my lowest. Will never ever forget it.
Thank you M, l, D, and T: for helping me with Eli and being so kind and flexible. One less thing for me to worry about. Tia A and A for all the prayers and vigils.
I am sure I will continue to reflect on this for hours, days, weeks, and months.
Until then- I am off to the beach. I