Among the regular questions I get asked by people are 'so are you cured now?' or, if they understand what remission means, 'are you (still) in the clear?' or even 'so what is your life expectancy now?'
Because people ask, and because I get tired of explaining remission and NED (No Evidence of Disease) and the strengths and weaknesses of medical stats, and the impact of lifestyle and attitude, and the constant emergence of new research etc., I have added some information to my 'about' page explaining what my stats (drawn from Cancer Research UK) are. So, if you really want to know, look there.
At the moment I feel fit, strong and healthy and apart from occasional bouts of paranoia feel very positive about life. Sometimes, though, it's hard to be smiley and upbeat when someone says 'so are you cured now...?'
Comments
It's a hard question. Every week at church at the moment the same person asks me if I'm better yet. Every week I tell them that it's genetic and it won't get better. I think she perhaps has a slightly more literal interpretation of the miraculous than I do ;)
As to being asked what your life expectancy is, I think that is one of the questions to which it can be ok to tell someone that they're being particularly tactless, insensitive and rude-word-y. I wish people would engage brain before opening mouth.
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