It’s been 10 years since my unexpected guest took residence in me (CLL), and while I’m not cancer-free, I am still here! What a ride it’s been and a few too many close calls, but amongst the tough times there have been some incredible moments full of pure joy, hope and laughter, creating memories to last a lifetime and nurture new hope.

I am so blessed to be surrounded by so much love, support and goofiness. Laughter truly is the best medicine. My tribe, my vibe. They make me stronger.

THIS IS 10

They said I probably wouldn’t be here
We thought you would be gone
I guess we were all a little wrong
This is 10 (since it all began)

Footprints and cleared canvases
Full of reflections, all the way back to Kansas 
Lifelines and legacies
Am I ok if this is all that was meant to be?
Different perceptions birthed from acceptance
Letting go was the new flow 

Masterpiece and dope puzzle pieces
Framed with our foundation
Always building with anticipation
Couldn’t help but feel the regression

Wait…. Incompletion may actually be the completion??? 
Wow!  Unexpected realization
Always learning something new, sometimes it was you who would give the cue

Sunsetting and new beginnings
Once again changed perception
Continuous adaptation, pivot like a champion
Slippery slopes while discovering new hopes

Tick, Tick Boom to #boom loving
We never stood alone 

The week we met
We thought that would be as bad as it gets
Little did we know
What life had in store

Friends who are family
There are no words
You stood by us (and still do)
We can’t thank you enough
Family over everything
Amazing. Priceless. Blessed.

Hopeless laughter and laughing hopelessly
Prepared for the worst
Hoping for the best
That’s how we roll
Us and our crew
Remember what Jay said about the same hue (as you) 

Finding strength in each other
Big ups to our tribe, they Make Me Stronger 

Heartbreaks and heartfelt
Letting go was still the flow
Tough losses but we tried not to feel the blow

New loves brought us to great heights
Now we hang on with all our might
Dancing in the rain
Mastering how to numb the pain
Waiting to exhale
Donuts and carousel

Unwanted resident to accepted guest
Coexistence despite both our persistence
An unexpected relationship
Starting off as foes
Becoming acquaintances and now much more 
Savoring that we’re still here
Milestones and party crashers
Memories to last a lifetime

Grateful for meaningful connections 
Hopeful to have made a difference
Moments of elation to a change in vibration
Something that stopped the nation
I can’t breathe

Close calls to great escapes
Heartbeats to flat lines
Still beats we had a few
Not sure how we got through
Recovery was quite a feat
And here we are, still dancing in these streets

Celebrations and isolations 
Disappointments to pleasant surprises
Making the most of every moment

They said I probably wouldn’t be here
We thought you might be gone
I guess we were all a little wrong
This is 10 (since it all began)

Infiltrated but resilient
Realistic yet hopeful
Acceptance, truly and fully
But still got some fight you see
In tune spiritually with a little thug in me

It is written
…and we write it   (so the story goes)

They said I probably wouldn’t be here
We thought you would be gone
I guess we were all a little wrong
This is 10 (since it all began)
In the sun, together we stand

Photo courtesy of author.