Fourteen years! I still cant really believe that Ive made it this long.
When I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma, they told me I would be lucky to make it 15 months, let alone 5 years. And here I am, about to mark the 14th anniversary of my mesothelioma diagnosis.
November is still a tough month for me. It is like the cells in my body remember what was happening all those years ago. Every November, I feel a little out of sorts, a little tender and a little wary.
This year, I am trying something different, something to reclaim the month for me, not the cancer. Ive decided to really embrace what November is about: Thanksgiving. Im not talking a turkey dinner here. Im talking real thanks for all Ive been given, and I have much to be thankful for.
Here is the short list:
This is just a short list of a much longer gratitude journal Ive been keeping since the start of November.
I was never supposed to make it this long. And the fact that Im still here is something Im continually thankful for.
Sometimes ok, more often than not I get caught up in the day-to-day stuff that is just life. I woke up late, my daughter is sick, the refrigerator breaks down right before Thanksgiving and isnt repairable so we need to buy a new oneyou get the idea.
But then I stop and remember, Im here to witness and be a part of this life in all its messy glory. Through the good AND the bad, that is what Im grateful for. It is a daily conscious decision to think that way. It is what helps me through the hard times. Im even thankful for those.
As I look forward to 14 years of not only surviving cancer, but thriving, I am setting some goals to achieve in 2020. I am starting my own Cancer Coaching practice. I want to teach others to live despite dire circumstances.
I am going to publish my autobiography because I believe that my story of hope is a universal one that people want to hear. I want to write more, partner with movers and shakers more, and I want to make more people aware of this cancer and give more people hope. I want Lung Leavin Day to raise even more money for research and I cant wait to see what else my 14 years of thriving brings.
I am so very blessed to not only be here, but to be able to do what I love and help others. That is something that will just grow more in the coming years.
Most of all, Im so grateful for all the support from the mesothelioma and cancer community that has been behind me since I started this. Together we are better, and because of that, 14 years strong is going to be just fabulous!
Read more:
Heather Von St. James Celebrates 14 Years of Survivorship - Mesothelioma.com
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- Mesothelioma Victims Center Now Urges a Diagnosed Machinist to Call for Direct Access to Journeyman-Level ... - PR Newswire (press release) - June 12th, 2017 [June 12th, 2017]
- Honeywell Fails in Appeal Against Mesothelioma Verdict - Mesothelioma.net Blog (blog) - June 12th, 2017 [June 12th, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Patients Can See Improved Survival By Reporting Side Effects - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog) - June 12th, 2017 [June 12th, 2017]
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- Hopes High for Mesothelioma Immunotherapy Treatment ... - Mesothelioma.net Blog (blog) - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- Asbestos Sprayers Face Higher Lifetime Mesothelioma Risk ... - Surviving Mesothelioma - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- Remembering Loved Ones Lost to Mesothelioma, Looking Forward to Progress in Treatment - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog) - June 14th, 2017 [June 14th, 2017]
- Chicago Public Schools Ignoring Asbestos Problem - Mesothelioma.com - June 16th, 2017 [June 16th, 2017]
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- Mesothelioma Survivor Deals with Pain 15 Years After Surgery - Asbestos.com (blog) - June 16th, 2017 [June 16th, 2017]
- Nivolumab and Ipillimumab Show Promise in Treating Mesothelioma Recurrence - Mesothelioma.com - June 16th, 2017 [June 16th, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Patients Should Heed FDA Warnings Regarding Miracle Cures - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog) - June 16th, 2017 [June 16th, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Patients May Benefit from Marijuana Research - Mesothelioma.net Blog (blog) - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- The Challenges of Research in Immunotherapy - Mesothelioma.com (blog) - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Despite Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Dad Loved Father's Day - Asbestos.com (blog) - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- I Want to Keep Writing About Mesothelioma and My Family's Journey Because It Matters - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog) - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Clinical Trial Opens with High Expectations - Asbestos.com - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- Cediranib May be Safe Supplement to Mesothelioma Treatment - Surviving Mesothelioma - June 17th, 2017 [June 17th, 2017]
- New Trial Finds VEGF-Inhibitor May Safely Boost Mesothelioma ... - Benzinga - June 18th, 2017 [June 18th, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Symptoms - Identify Early Warning Signs - June 18th, 2017 [June 18th, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Victims Center Now Urges a Diagnosed Construction Worker or Plumber to Call for Instant Access to the ... - PR Newswire (press release) - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Treatment May Benefit From New Discovery ... - Mesothelioma.net Blog (blog) - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- The Influence of BAP1 on Mesothelioma Survival - Surviving Mesothelioma - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Clinical Trial to Assess If Radiation Therapy Can Bring Effective Relief from Mesothelioma Pain - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog) - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Asbestos Exposure Attorneys - Mesothelioma Lawsuits ... - June 20th, 2017 [June 20th, 2017]
- Can a Breath Test Diagnose Mesothelioma in the Early Stages? - Asbestos.com - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Compensation Center Now Urges an Electric Utility Worker or Electrician with Mesothelioma to Aim High ... - PR Newswire (press release) - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Nurse Explains Mesothelioma Staging - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog) - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- 5 Questions: Treatment options exist for mesothelioma - Las Vegas Review-Journal - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Steve McQueen's Wife Pushes for Asbestos Ban - Mesothelioma.com - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Remembering Mesothelioma Victims in the UK - Mesothelioma.com (blog) - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Peritoneal Cancer Index: What it Means for Mesothelioma Patients - Mesothelioma & Asbestos Awareness Center (blog) - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Risk Continues to Rise for Decades After Asbestos Exposure - Surviving Mesothelioma - June 21st, 2017 [June 21st, 2017]
- Nintedanib Combination Delayed Progression in Malignant Mesothelioma - Cancer Network - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- Polish Study Confirms That Mesothelioma Risk Only Increases With ... - Mesothelioma.net Blog (blog) - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- The Mesothelioma Victims Center Now Urges a Diagnosed Navy ... - PR Newswire (press release) - June 22nd, 2017 [June 22nd, 2017]
- Targeted Therapy May Soon be Primary Approach for Mesothelioma Treatment - MesotheliomaHelp.org (blog) - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Time Between Surgeries Helps Predict Mesothelioma Survival - Asbestos.com - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Testicular and Cardiac Mesothelioma - Surviving Mesothelioma - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
- Mesothelioma Veterans Center - Access Benefits & VA Claims - June 23rd, 2017 [June 23rd, 2017]
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- Scientists "Turn Off" Tumor-Protecting Protein in New Mesothelioma Study, According to Surviving Mesothelioma - Benzinga - June 26th, 2017 [June 26th, 2017]
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