" We are family! i got all my sisters with me....and we fly just like birds of a feather...high hopes we have for the future and our goal's in sight. no, we don't get depressed, here's what we call our golden rule: have faith in you and the things that you do, and you won't go wrong." ( Sister Sledge)

a serious illness causes you to think about your life in many ways. i was thinking about my family- a lot of my family has passed away- my mom, all my grandmothers, granddads, uncles, aunts, some cousins for good measure. anyway, i was getting a little depressed thinking about it and then i realized something. through shared experiences with thyroid cancer- both good and bad- i feel that i have developed a sort of "kinship" with everyone who has read my blog. whether you have commented on my blog, or emailed me with your particular experiences, or just offered me support, i feel that we are all part of a special group.( o.k. maybe we did not exactly plan on being in the cancer group.) but we have a common denominator of understanding, and i think, friendship.

no matter what stage we are in, in our journey, we can identify with what each of us is dealing with. no one else- not family, friends, or co-workers, really" gets it "like another thyroid cancer patient.when i get depressed, i think about all of the new friends i have met through my blog. i am sorry( REALLY SORRY) that we all have cancer, but i would not have met you guys otherwise. that is something good that came from my cancer, and i feel that it is a blessing i would not otherwise have had.

an employee where i work asked me how i was doing. i said, oh, fine. and he said, no, how are you really doing? his wife has cancer, and he has talked with me a time or two. i stopped for a moment, and considered the question. sometimes i feel like i have   multiple personality dysfunction or something.  my Pollyanna self- the dominant self, says everything is fine and dandy. then my private self, "Debbie downer," if you will, gets sad. i have said that we thyroid cancer patients live from scan to scan and i almost want to just jump ahead  in time to the next scan. of course, there is a whole lot of living to do before my next scan. i have to remind myself to enjoy my life and not wish my time away. i do need to "believe in myself and the things that i do".

my children are all coming home this labor day weekend.  we will celebrate a belated birthday for me. i really like the national cancer society's slogan " celebrate more birthdays". it really does mean something more to me now. someone told me, oh you had a birthday, i won't ask how old you are! i said i was very,very happy to be a year older. here's to all of my new friends: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US ALL!!