What Happens on My Cancer Anniversary? Episode #25

It's been 43 years since I had my first cancer surgery. It was for thyroid cancer, and I was 25 years old. I always honor that day - in my mind and with something special - be it something as simple and delicious as a hot fudge sundae or lunch with a friend.  What should any cancer survivor do on a cancer anniversary? Listen as podcast host Joyce Lofstrom shares her thoughts and ideas in Episode 25 of Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer from the Max Mallory Foundation.

Transcript

What Happens on my Cancer Anniversary, Episode 25 – with Joyce Lofstrom

Welcome to Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer, where cancer survivors, caregivers, and others touched by cancer share their stories. The Max Mallory Foundation presents this podcast in honor and memory of Max Mallory, who died at age 22 from testicular cancer. I'm your host, Joyce Lofstrom, a young adult and adult cancer survivor, and Max's mom.

Joyce:

Hi, this is Joyce, and I'm recording this podcast on Saturday of July 4th weekend in the United States. For me, it's a special weekend. It's my cancer anniversary, which was actually the time frame I had my first cancer surgery, which was for thyroid cancer. Forth-three years ago, I was 25 years old. It's also July 4th weekend. And so for anyone in the United States, it's the day that we celebrate independence. Tomorrow is actually July 4th, Sunday. But for me, this weekend was when I had this surgery and I remember getting out of the hospital either on July 3rd or July 4th. And I was in Chicago. I was working as a food editor, restaurant critic, feature writer for a daily newspaper in the Chicago suburbs, which had actually always been my dream job. I went to journalism school at the University of Missouri and was a student food editor at that time.

So this was my third job, you know, I moved to a new city and found out that I had cancer about, oh, less than a year after I had moved here. So anyway, I have lots of memories of this date and it's of all the different cancer surgeries and diagnoses I've had, probably this one stands out and I think it's because it's the first one and it's also when I was young--very unexpected like many of the young men and women I've talked to in our podcast who are young adults with cancer.

It's interesting to me to compare what the differences are in terms of treatment and there should be differences in 40 years since that happened, but just the opportunities for connection that all of us who've had cancer or are caregivers, there's so many support groups out there, support opportunities, places to go to get help or just talk with someone. And we've talked about a couple of those on the podcast too.

Earlier we talked with Johnny Imerman with Imerman Angels and then Mallory Casperson with Lacuna Loft which is now the Cactus Cancer Society. But I want to really talk about what people do or what you could do to celebrate an anniversary of cancer if that's something of interest to you.

I've read several articles with recommendations of what you can do. Some of those ideas were pamper yourself, go travel somewhere or buy yourself something you want or a small present, volunteer, write, maybe if you like to write a blog post or something on LinkedIn, or wherever you might write. And also, really the first item in most of the articles I read was to reflect on where you are, what's happened over the years, be it one year or like for me, 43 years. And I think that's something that's worth doing. I know with me, I'm hesitating because I'm thinking back on it. And I know after the diagnosis, actually for, well, it was both diabetes and cancer, I came back to Kansas City and all my friends were there and we had a big party. It was very fun. It was so great to see everybody. One of my friends--actually, it was my college boyfriend's mother who put this together for me. But that, for me, was probably one of the best things to do, just to be with people who care about me and laugh. I think laughter is so much a part of survivorship and in life in general.

But the other things I've always done, I do go and buy something, like after a mammogram or after any kind of thyroid test, I go and buy a piece of jewelry sometimes. It's not a big item, but something that is pretty or something I've been looking at or just find. I often go to the hospital gift shop, which the hospitals I've gone to, they have a very nice gift shop. So it's something like that. I also have traded jewelry in for a hot fudge sundae, meaning I would just go have a hot fudge sundae. I love ice cream. And one of the hospitals was very close to where I used to work, and I would just go up there and do the test and then walk back and there's an ice cream shop right there,  so I would go in and get my hot fudge sundae.

So things to do to remember your cancer anniversary, they don't have to be big or expensive. It's just something meaningful to you. And I just think it's really worth reflecting on your life and what's changed. And it took me a while to really appreciate every day. You know, you get into a routine with work and kids and whatever else you're doing. And at that time [my first diagnosis], I had this job, and I was, I mean, I enjoyed this job a lot, but I was also pretty scared after all this happened. And my friends came through for me. I was in Chicago without any family there. And I still have very good girlfriends that took care of me and were with me at the hospital. I made sure I got home, and I needed to stay somewhere in the city for a couple of weeks. And I had a friend who she and her boyfriend were leaving town for a couple of weeks to travel. So I stayed at her apartment and my college roommate and her sister came up to visit me, Barb and Sue. So, I mean, I had a lot of people there. And my friends in Kansas City were the same way.

And I just want to emphasize the importance of a strong support group when you go through cancer, but you know, when it's over and you can get on with your life. So I just think about that and, maybe look at whenever your cancer anniversary is coming up or if it's a friend, what can you do to honor that day and just reflect and consider yourself very lucky?

The other thing I want to talk about today was when I was getting ready to do the podcast, I wanted to see what was out there to talk about. We came across this article that was actually written by a testicular cancer survivor. His name is Steven Petro. And this was an article in the Washington Post on March, or no, May 6, 2019. So I'm telling you where this came from, what I want to talk about. But the headline is, 35 years ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. This year, I'm celebrating my cancerversary. And he talks about being diagnosed in 1984 at age 26 with testicular cancer. And anyone who's a sports person, he talks about a movie. And I'm guessing many of you have seen it, called Brian's Song, which was out in 1971. This was a football player who had advanced testicular cancer, Brian Piccolo, and he died at 26.

And so an interesting article--just another person who's gone through this much earlier, 1971--this article is very interesting because he talks about he knew that his chances to survive were very good because of the treatments. And anyway, it's just an interesting article, I think, to read about what he went through and how to honor your cancerversary. So he said he celebrated his 35th anniversary by having dinner with friends, and they had a toast, they planted a tree, and actually he didn't plant a tree. He suggested that other people he knows, they planted a tree, took a vacation, gone off on a fundraising campaign, or had a celebratory party. And there's also, and I think we've heard of this too, National Cancer Survivors Day, which is the first Sunday in June. So we've missed that for this year, but that's another thing to think about around celebrating a cancerversary. I know I've seen cancer survivorship parks. I know one in Kansas City right off the Plaza, one area of Kansas City that is really nice, a place you can go sit and reflect. There's any park or anyplace, just sit outside. I walk my dogs every morning and just being out there and seeing the trees, and I always find something different. Even though I walk the same path, you can pick up some different things.

I think that to think about your cancer survivorship day is probably an important opportunity for everybody. And I'll read what he wrote on his Facebook page. Again, this is back in 2019.

“It's now been 35 years since I was first diagnosed with cancer. Honestly, I never thought I'd be so lucky to be here now. I am thankful to my doctors, therapists, and other health professionals, to my dear friends on and off Facebook, and to my family. When I was first diagnosed, my friend Cynthia gave me this ‘fairy godbunny,’ whom I took with me to every appointment, chemo treatment, and hospital stay. People thought I was a bit weird, and maybe they were right. But he, or is it she, proved to be a talisman for all these years, and is never far from me. And like me now, a bit worn and frayed, but still here, I know I'm lucky in so many ways, and that too many of my friends were unlucky. I'm remembering you too. Love, Stephen.”

I have a picture that my kids, Max and John, drew for me, and this was in 1999 when I had radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer. This was my second thyroid cancer and it's an interesting treatment. At that time, I went into a hospital room that they had covered with paper and some plastic. I think I drank at that time, this in a lead vial, and it makes you radioactive, but it basically kills the thyroid cells if they're anywhere else in your body than in your thyroid area. You stay in there for a couple of days, and they check you with a Geiger counter to see if you beep, and when you reach a certain level, you can leave. Now, the second time I did this was in 2000, when was it? 2011, I think, maybe 2009, but I didn't [go to the hospital], I did it at home. I didn't have to paper my room. I had a pill I took, and I just stayed in our basement bedroom and used that bathroom. and people put my food on the steps. And anyway, it all was different, but it's the same treatment. But I have a picture that my kids drew when I came home from the hospital, and I have it framed. They drew it on the back of an envelope. Things like that, that's a memory that I have.

Survivorship Day, that's part of my cancer story, a different one. But anyway, that's pretty much it. But if you want to look up this article, I just found it online. under cancer survivorship. It might be interesting to read just because here's a man who survived testicular cancer and he's writing about it 35 years later. So it's actually now, if you add a couple of years, it's been 37 years. So anyway, I think I'll end with this and just say, think about your cancerversary when it's coming and how you might want to celebrate it or remember it. Again, it's very personal and you may choose to do nothing this year and you may choose to go and do something fun. I was actually, I'll close with this update too. I went to downtown Chicago yesterday and had lunch and did some shopping with one of my good girlfriends who's been with me through many of these journeys. And we had a glass of wine and toasted and, you know, here we are. And so think about your own life, and the gratitude that you can have and share for a cancerversary.

Thank you for joining me today on Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer from the Max Mallory Foundation. Go to maxmalloryfoundation.com to learn more about testicular cancer, to donate and send your suggestions for guests on the podcast. And join me next time for Don't Give Up on Testicular Cancer.

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