Uncertainty is probably one of the hardest things to deal with. Especially when you have a rare disease. Will this treatment work? Will I still be here in a few months? Am I eating the right things? What is causing this sudden pain in my stomach?

When I got my cancer diagnosis, it seemed like I got sick from one day to the next. Of course that is not true, but it all happened so fast. Thursday afternoon I was taking the bus home from work, on Friday I went to the doctor and the ER and Saturday early morning I woke up in a hospital bed when they were steering me into the IC unit. Life can take unexpected turns suddenly and fast…

When something unexpected and earth shattering happens, you have two choices: 1) retreat to a corner and give up, or 2) pull yourself together, step up and face it head on. For me there was only one choice. I’m not known for giving up without a fight. Ask my team mates who have sat through multiple three set tennis matches because I didn’t want to concede. Did I always win? No, but at least I tried.

If I have a choice between life and death, I choose life! I want to make plans and grow old with my wife. I want to see my son grow up, graduate and drive a car (in no particular order). So, how to begin a journey … when you have no idea where it’s going to end? After 6 months of wondering “why me?”, I realized that the first step on my journey would be this: be thankful, be positive, be grateful, be happy, try to live by the day and every day.