Today, I had a follow up with Dr. Raphael, my oncologist, who gave me a clean bill of health, four years after finishing chemo. Although he didn’t pronounce me to be cured—which I misunderstood to be the case at the four year mark—my checkups will now be annual, instead of every six months.

I do remember being told that my diagnosis, Large B Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, is curable, and a quick internet search confirmed that. Dr. Raphael said he doesn’t like to use the word cured, but the 5-year mark, is usually when cancer is considered gone.

So, in 2019, I will look forward to two milestones: Turning 50, and putting cancer behind me.