The irony of April 1st

I went to bed last night, frightened of how I might awake today.

April 1st is the date I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016. It is hard to forget such a date, naturally.

The irony, of course, is April It’s Fools Day, but no one forgets such a life-altering occurrence.

I awoke relatively early. I did not get up for the day, just remained in bed, not wanting to stir and disrupt the thought that was on a loop in both my heart and mind;

“I’m a f*cking warrior!”

It wasn’t one thing in particular that I was focusing on or directing this thought towards. Rather, it was the years since my diagnosis and all the trials I have overcome!

The image is my Scottish ancestral crest. The motto which circles the crest is Fortitudine, which means “with fortitude” in Latin. I am proud of this and have it tattooed on my forearm. Every day, I recognize that my own fortitude, courage, and bravery are greater than I will ever know!

Image credit: Unknown