When I hear the word “survivor” I think of the song by Gloria Gaynor, “I will survive”, popular in 1978. It was before the TV show Survivor and all the wilderness survival shows that made winning the end point. It was a time when many women were still in very low paying jobs; only 8% of working women used childcare in 1977. “I will survive” had a different meaning for women then, than now.

Although Gloria’s song is about a relationship breakup, I see it as a metaphor for life. “At first I was afraid, I was petrified” - yep, life has handed me a few things like that. “But I grew strong, and I learned how to get along” - that, too.
So, when I was diagnosed it did feel a little like “I will survive” - because I knew nothing about the real issues of cancer. I think I walked out of every one of those early oncology/radiology/surgical appointments thinking “whew, I survived that”.

I don’t mind the term survivor, but it can seem a bit limiting as a defining term when considering my life and everything I am. As I age and I lose some little bit of physicality every year, I feel I become stronger. I have weathered through many years. And if you ask if I’m a survivor, I’ll probably start humming that song.