How Long Have I Got Left?

Wow! What an honest and insighful essay!

My favorite part is:

"Before my cancer was diagnosed, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when. After the diagnosis, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when… The angst of facing mortality has no remedy in probability."

Thank you for sharing this, Mat.

Wow! What an honest and insighful essay!

My favorite part is:

"Before my cancer was diagnosed, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when. After the diagnosis, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when… The angst of facing mortality has no remedy in probability."

Thank you for sharing this, Mat.

Wow! What an honest and insighful essay!

My favorite part is:

"Before my cancer was diagnosed, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when. After the diagnosis, I knew that someday I would die, but I didn’t know when… The angst of facing mortality has no remedy in probability."

Thank you for sharing this, Mat.

Great Mat. Thanks to you and your wonderful wife for finding and posting it. "I'll go on."

Brian

Great Mat. Thanks to you and your wonderful wife for finding and posting it. "I'll go on."

Brian

Great Mat. Thanks to you and your wonderful wife for finding and posting it. "I'll go on."

Brian

Thank you for sharing this. I may not be a neurosurgeon (or any sort of doctor), but I'm almost 36, and while I figured I'd get some sort of cancer someday, given my genetic background, I just didn't expect it this soon. Reading this was very helpful. 🙂 Thank you again.

Thank you for sharing this. I may not be a neurosurgeon (or any sort of doctor), but I'm almost 36, and while I figured I'd get some sort of cancer someday, given my genetic background, I just didn't expect it this soon. Reading this was very helpful. 🙂 Thank you again.

Thank you for sharing this. I may not be a neurosurgeon (or any sort of doctor), but I'm almost 36, and while I figured I'd get some sort of cancer someday, given my genetic background, I just didn't expect it this soon. Reading this was very helpful. 🙂 Thank you again.

I have had the good fortune of having a hypochondriac Aunt who has been dying for as long as I've known her.  When I was diagnosed with stage IV mel and told the grim news, my first thought was of her and how she had wasted her life dying every day. I made a vow to myself, however much time I have in this earthly life, I don't want to waste a moment giving death any of my precious time, it will get it's share when the time comes.  I have spent the last 4 years living life to the fullest and engaging in anything I want to and it truly has been a remarkable time for me and my family and I think I'll go on a very long time like this!  My husband and I always try to keep our humor in tact, often reminding ourselves and others…..it's an expensive way to live!  The song by Tim McGraw states it so well "Live life like your dying" sadly, most of us don't understand this phrase until we are facing a head on collision with death.  We all have the capacity to give ourselves the gift of  hope and happiness. In the end, nobody can say with any certainty what will be, so cling to what you hope your life will be and who knows, it just might be what you hoped!

I hope all who read this takeaway renewed hope for a long and well lived life.

Swanee

p.s. My Aunt is 79 and still dying 🙂 

I have had the good fortune of having a hypochondriac Aunt who has been dying for as long as I've known her.  When I was diagnosed with stage IV mel and told the grim news, my first thought was of her and how she had wasted her life dying every day. I made a vow to myself, however much time I have in this earthly life, I don't want to waste a moment giving death any of my precious time, it will get it's share when the time comes.  I have spent the last 4 years living life to the fullest and engaging in anything I want to and it truly has been a remarkable time for me and my family and I think I'll go on a very long time like this!  My husband and I always try to keep our humor in tact, often reminding ourselves and others…..it's an expensive way to live!  The song by Tim McGraw states it so well "Live life like your dying" sadly, most of us don't understand this phrase until we are facing a head on collision with death.  We all have the capacity to give ourselves the gift of  hope and happiness. In the end, nobody can say with any certainty what will be, so cling to what you hope your life will be and who knows, it just might be what you hoped!

I hope all who read this takeaway renewed hope for a long and well lived life.

Swanee

p.s. My Aunt is 79 and still dying 🙂 

I have had the good fortune of having a hypochondriac Aunt who has been dying for as long as I've known her.  When I was diagnosed with stage IV mel and told the grim news, my first thought was of her and how she had wasted her life dying every day. I made a vow to myself, however much time I have in this earthly life, I don't want to waste a moment giving death any of my precious time, it will get it's share when the time comes.  I have spent the last 4 years living life to the fullest and engaging in anything I want to and it truly has been a remarkable time for me and my family and I think I'll go on a very long time like this!  My husband and I always try to keep our humor in tact, often reminding ourselves and others…..it's an expensive way to live!  The song by Tim McGraw states it so well "Live life like your dying" sadly, most of us don't understand this phrase until we are facing a head on collision with death.  We all have the capacity to give ourselves the gift of  hope and happiness. In the end, nobody can say with any certainty what will be, so cling to what you hope your life will be and who knows, it just might be what you hoped!

I hope all who read this takeaway renewed hope for a long and well lived life.

Swanee

p.s. My Aunt is 79 and still dying 🙂