Alex and I have stopped counting (out loud anyway) as we found there comes a time when one thinking of oneself as a cancer survivor starts to define one. Having said this it is easier said than done.

Afrin: Is that a spray that helps with a stuffy nose? If it is, the reason they say not to use more than a few days is that it causes "rebound congestion" which means it causes the very condition that you are trying to treat. This just means that you might have to use it for the rest of your life or go through a few weeks of a stuffy nose without it until your body gets used to not having it anymore. As I always say to my Mum who is worried about getting "addicted" to some of her medications, it is only a problem if you are not planning on using it for the rest of your life.

with regard to survival, in my opinion the clock starts on from the day you start treatment. I say this because the stats on survival are based on the trials which all begin with the first day of treatment. However, Alex and I found some comfort in marking the anniversaries based on diagnosis and end of treatment as well.