Eight Years and Counting

[IdaB]

Hi all - So I just realized that it's been 8 years today since I was diagnosed with extensive myxopapillary ependymomas. It's not wildly significant - just not something I can drop into casual conversation anywhere else.
I remember being so scared that day... utterly and completely freaked out is a better way to put it. Now here it is 2 surgeries and 8 years later. Some of life has been hard, a lot of it has been really fantastic. This has been a hard year ... I hurt my back around Christmas last year and so have been struggling more than at any time since surgery. But I am slowly getting better, and I'm hoping that I can get all the way back to where I was last year and maybe even better than that. As long as there's life, there's hope for improvement, right?
Anyway, I guess I just wanted to tell someone, and to say thanks to all of you. This site didn't *quite* exist yet when I was diagnosed (or I couldn't find it), but I found it a few months later and it's been such an amazing gift. So thank you... and here's to 8 more years... then 8 more... then 8 more...
- Ida

[rm]

Ida - I'm so sorry you hurt your back! I'm glad it's better now and do hope that it will be better than ever. I know how you feel about "our" site. When I first got my connection to the internet, that was one of the first things I did - look for spinal cord tumor! I found this very early on - not too many had signed in when I did. I think that was around June of 2000. I'm looking forward to seeing you and other "tumorists" in Chicago. It's good to be with others that understand.

~ Ruby

[missym]

Ida, here's to a lifetime of health and happiness!
Missy

[Joel]

Ida--it truly HAS been a great 8!!! Many more OK?
Joel

[cindylee]

8 more years and then some. Congrats to you!