Grateful, Happy, Relieved

Today is Saturday June 1, 2024 and I’m so happy the month of May is over! Let me explain why…May was actually a really great month for me الحمد لله. In fact, it might have been the busiest month for me in a while and thankfully they were all good things that were happening. On the personal and social side I celebrated Shaikha’s 12th birthday, I attended two school awards ceremonies for Yasmine and one Shaikha, I traveled twice to the UAE, once for the 4th module of my coaching course in Dubai and once with my husband to watch Dave Chappelle in Abu Dhabi. I’m so grateful and blessed to have had the opportunities to do all of those things. On the medical side I completed all my annual screening tests! And it’s from this aspect that I’m so glad the month of May is over. Ever since my diagnosis and admittance in the hospital last year, my doctor has repeatedly been reminding me that May is when we’ll be doing all my annual screenings. So in the back of my head I kept seeing May as this daunting month where I could possibly be hearing some bad news…where there was a chance this positive trajectory I’ve been on in my life could take a pause. I’m not trying to sound pessimistic but when you’ve been where I’ve been and have seen how tough things can get you can’t help but feel like anything (negative) can show up at any moment. I’ve had this month hanging over me for a while and as much as I was dreading it approaching, I also couldn’t wait to get the tests done and just move on. The first test I had done was the tumor markers blood test that was done at the beginning of May and after two weeks the results came back negative الحمد لله. Next was my colonoscopy and endoscopy appointment and it went smoother than I expected. The immediate response from the doctor once the procedure was over that day was that everything looked normal and there was nothing to worry about. I went back a week later to pick up the official results and thankfully I’m in the clear الحمد لله. There was just one minor thing that seemed questionable to my doctor from the results so she did a referral for me to see a gastroenterologist for further clarification and my appointment will be at the end of June for that. A week after my colonoscopy/endoscopy I went to Amiri and did a pelvic and abdomen contrast CT scan and a mammogram and a breast ultra sound all on the same day. That was a long morning at the hospital but thankfully my results all came out the next day and everything was normal الحمد لله. A couple of days after that I went and did my pap smear…the last test of all my screenings and thankfully the results came back normal. Phew! What a relief…I felt like I’d been holding my breath, feeling suffocated with worry and now I could finally breathe and relax. I don’t want to go so far as to say I felt invincible but there was a feeling of empowerment knowing that I was in the clear, that I was healthy. I have to say that with each result that came out I kept feeling happier and happier and relief was setting in more and more. I’m so grateful that I have been feeling better lately and now knowing that I’m in the clear has launched me to another level of bliss ألف الحمد لله.

So what’s next? I’ll be finishing up the last module of my coaching course this weekend and then taking a short summer vacation with my family. I’m super excited to be feeling good enough to want to travel and looking forward to my adventures with them and creating lasting memories the way we did on all our previous trips. With the help of my husband, I’ve gotten myself trip-ready with all the necessary UPF clothing and accessories to protect me from the sun while we’re out and about during our vacation. My doctor told me to pack some cortisone medication just in case of a flare up while I’m traveling but hopefully I won’t need it. I’ll be sure to continue taking my immunosuppressant medication and fingers crossed all goes well while I’m away. I’m so thankful that I’ve come such a long way from where I was last year this time and I’m really excited for what’s next. Life is beautiful, make sure you enjoy every moment of it.

اللهم أسعدني في أبسط تفاصيل حياتي و قرب لي الخير حيث كان. اللهم إني أعوذ بك من فواجع الأقدار، ومن فقد الأهل، ومن حزن القلب، وحرقة الشعور، اللهم إني استودعتك نفسي، وأهلي ومن أحب ، ربي أكتب لي أيام جميله إسعدني بتفاصيلها و إغمرني بخيرك الذي لا يفنى اللهم إرزقني حظ الدنيا ونعيم الاخرة، ويسر لي أمري.