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Caring for Carcinoid Foundation - Survivor Stories

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Christine O'Connor

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Profile

Cancer type: Carcinoid
Diagnosis year: 2007
Home: Mahopac, NY - USA

How I Survive Cancer

My outlook has changed so much in these short two months since learning about the carcinoid.

Oddly enough, it has changed 180 degrees for the better. I never would have suspected this, never ever -- a side of having cancer that I never knew was there. I guess nobody could tell me about it. Or else, maybe it doesn't happen to everybody.

Every day has a treasure in it: the sunrise, a kid writing on a fogged-up car window, a neighbor's dog carrying a frisbee, a delicious scrambled egg with buttered toast. These are no longer just ordinary things. I relish them. And there is humor everywhere. The nuttiest things have happened. I barely have time to write them down.

Generous, caring folks who could turn to new endeavors, and have not, still give to us the information and personal energy from the heart. They post on mailing lists, or run websites, that people like me so badly need.

Carcinoid has taken things away from me but I have ended up with so much MORE good stuff than I had a year ago, before I knew. If this had not happened to me I was at risk for dying some day, without knowing and feeling all of this. I feel like I was more dead then.

My Caring Words of Encouragement

The world of people who have cancer, who help treat cancer, and are close to those who do ... is a wonderful world.

I'm sorry I didn't know this before. I was an idiot. I sort of pulled away from people who got cancer. I was scared and did not know what to say or do. I thought they would wear me out with their troubles. The opposite is true: many of them are very up and into things and are living to the fullest.

Another person with carcinoid wrote about "trying to be happy". You know something? I don't have to try to be happy. I am happy! Scared sometimes, tired, in a little pain ... but happy. Go figure.