Since I am in AA, they have taught us to stay in the "now". It has saved me a lot of uneccessary insanity, which I certainly can't do anything about anyway. And if I let fear take over how does that benefit me? Does it strengthen my immune system - no, does it cure the cancer - no. Fear is like throwing a boulder in the water -it'll send out ripples that will affect everyone around us. I have had to learn the hard that when I let my fears get out of control, my wife really has a hard time.

I am not trying to sugarcoat anything. I am realist, I know the numbers and statistics. I've been to my fair share of funerals. I know that some of you out there are struggling mightily and fighting the good fight. My mother had many bouts with serious forms of cancer, and died cancer free of a heart attack. My dad had a weak heart and died of cancer (Dx'd 2 months before he died -non Hodgkins lymphoma). And who does know what's lurking? People die every day of plane crashes, accidents, etc. So we really don't know the future and I would hate to give up my present for it.

My training as a "people helper"/counselor tells me I have to give people hope whenever I can.

As far as superstition goes, if that's your belief system, I respect that. This country was founded on the premise that you have the right to believe in whatever you choose.

And what does "cancer free" mean anyway? 80% of men are going to have prostate cancer if they live past 80. This slow growing cancer does not require treatment, most men live just fine with it (and outlive it) and only if it leaves the prostate capsule does it require medical intervention.

And to the original post, I feel strange saying "I beat the cancer". I didn't beat anything. If fact the treatment beat me up pretty good. The radiation and the chemo beat the cancer. My job was to do my best to recover from the treatment. This is just own personal opinion and I am trying to sell this idea to anyone.

I like "cancer free" though because it implies hope which is all that some of us have.