Day Against Cancer

 In these corona-dominated times, we tend to forget that cancer still is the much bigger killer. The movement 'Kom Op Tegen Kanker' (Stand up against cancer) wants to bring attention to this illness with yearly actions, such as the sale of azalea's to bring in money for the cause and now this special day, where you can send a postcard to someone who suffers the disease.

As you know, I'm also a cancer patient. My cancer was diagnosed in the summer of 2017. With the removal of the tumor (along with my right kidney), most of the problem was resolved. Remained some spots on my lungs and a small tumor on my pancreas. My oncologist prescribed Votrient. It's a kind of chemical chemo. It doesn't make you lose your hair, although it's brought changes to it. My hair is now completely white and you can't do much with it, so we keep it rather short. And luckily I look good with white! In the first six months I suffered a lot of side-effects from the Votrient. I spent quite a lot of time in the bathroom puking and emptying my bowels and worse, my feet hurt like hell. I couldn't even walk a couple of steps. Thanks to advice of our neighbor at the coast, I began to take Probiotical, a natural food additive. It brought some rest in my inner system, and wonder above wonder, it healed my feet. Two months after I started taking it, my feet were back to normal and I could walk miles again.

Right now, I'm feeling more or less healthy. Every now and then I suffer some nausea, and there are times I still have to look for a bathroom. But it's under control. I count myself lucky. Especially when I see or hear about people who succumb to the illness. The Votrient has more or less made the flecks on my lungs disappear, and the tumor on the pancreas has shrunk and now remains stable. 

For all those who suffer cancer, I want to send my best and hope you can face you illness with some positive thoughts. That really helps!