It’s here! After five years of bubbling along saying #remissionrocks (and did it ever!) my 5 year anniversary has arrived, and I am fully cancer free! This is that magical event known as having a clean bill of health.

From the fun and crazy lead up to that first surgery, in which some of you helped me come up with cute or weird breast commemoration ideas, to the first freedom to go out running again like, well, myself, it has been a pretty spectacular five years.

Thank you all for sharing this journey with me. Some highlights for me came from your comments and well wishes, and I still think of those words with a smile.

This morning, I ran some stadium stairs and flexed my muscles. I didn’t literally flex, the way Lance Dreher had me practice bodybuilding poses while I was training, but just felt my strength. I don’t feel physically different than I did yesterday. Mentally, the change in the label is a huge boost. 🙂

Although I did not get plaster-of-paris molds made, nor have my former chest bronzed, I can’t say I have any regrets for the aggressive approach I took. Even the cross hatching of scars can’t get me down. Sure, some of my body still feels a bit foreign to me, but less so with every mile on the track and in the pool.

When I was little, someone told me that I had my great-grandmother’s hands (she preferred to be called Granny, the Great). She lived well into her 90s. I always figured I would take after her: a ripe old age in full possession of my wits. 🙂 For a while, in 2011, I thought I might need to reassess that long term future view. Despite my annoying cheerfulness, I’m a dark and twisted individual.

Child me was right, though. My longevity is going to be exactly what I chose for myself. Someday, some little one will be running around calling me “the Great.” Although, maybe “the Great and terrible” might be more accurate. Haha.

Thank you all, for reading, for cheering me on, for the prayers and good thoughts and bizarre jokes we all shared.

Love and blessings to you all!