@jeshaw6801 Congratulations on your NED status 🙌

Oh my goodness I so get you. I understand you have rare LMS cancer? I’m so glad you’ve reached NED status like me with appendix cancer. Yet there remains the fear of our cancer returning and needing to jump back into the fight.

I have comfort in a wonderful medical team. Surveillance scanning is also such a relief for me because I missed all the symptoms of my appendix cancer and explained them away. I’ve lost trust in being aware when something is REALLY not right. At least I can jump back into the fight early. Something I didn’t last time!

It’s so hard not to “live” from scan to scan. I’ve been doing that now since 9 May 2022 when I had HIPEC and got to NED. Initially like you my scans were every 3 months. They have just moved to 6 months (but my blood tests remain 3 monthly). Sometimes all my tests were brought forward if something look d not quite right. So far it’s just been inflammation from surgeries and no concern. Don’t forget that benign factor: Adhesions from surgery.

I try very hard during that NED period of grace to live life as fully as I can in the way I choose to. I love spending time with my family especially my elderly father and my dogs. I take my father out to breakfast 3 times a week, a walk and a drive. He loves it. I love it. Sometimes friends and family join us for the breakfast. I walk my dogs daily and catch up with the neighbourhood dogs and dog owners. (My dogs have a home organised to go to if things go wrong).

Please do keep in touch with this community. It’s so wonderful to have others who understand where you’re at and who can encourage you to enjoy your life to the fullest 🙏❤️‍🩹🌺

The number one positive lesson I learnt was to stop wasting time / thinking it would roll on endlessly over the horizon. It’s amazing when you’re conscious of time how you can use it so valuably ❤️‍🩹 And if we get many years - a life extra well lived!!