[caption id="attachment_70046" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Dean and Elaine."]
Thanks to everyone who has been in touch regarding my boyfriend’s ill health. I am delighted to announce that Dean got the all-clear a few weeks ago and is currently 100 percent cancer free. We went through eight terrifying months, but it was worth it. Dean’s type of cancer, Sarcoma, is a very aggressive form and so we must remember that there is a risk that his cancer may return but we’ll deal with that if and when it happens. It is very difficult to date someone with cancer as you try your very best to be a “normal” couple but there is a third person in the relationship, cancer, and cancer takes priority as you deal with it.
When Dean got the OK it was like winning the lottery. We were given another chance, a chance that many cancer patients don’t get. I agree with John Lennon’s statement that “Life is what happens to you
while you're busy making other plans.” I always presumed that I’d meet a guy, we’d date for a few years, move in together, get engaged, get married, have a few kids and live happily ever after! But you have absolutely no control over how things pan out. I had never lived with Dean before and we had planned on being in Ireland together last summer but when Dean became sick I went to be with him.
Now that his chemo and radiotherapy are over, we have our lives back and I can concentrate on my PhD and finish it. During Dean’s treatment I was unable to concentrate on anything else. I am in New York and everything is going well. As I am in the middle of writing my PhD, I have a substitute teacher teaching all my classes this year so I can finish my project.
I’m enjoying my life again as Dean is healthy. I went to Atlantic City last weekend with 10 girls as my friend Jen is moving from New York to
London with her job. She is from Cork and has been living New York for the past five years. She gave me so much support and advice during the tough time last summer. She is an amazing friend. We gave her a good farewell in Atlantic City. She’ll be missed. Good luck in London darling.
The St Patrick’s Season is in full swing here in New York. I love seeing everyone out and about but this year I won’t be attending as many events as I have to focus on my PhD and get it finished. The Irish-American community is unique and advice I always give newly arrived people from Ireland is to get involved in the community at some level. I have been a part of this vibrant community for the past nine years and would not be as happy in New York were it not for it. The support I have gotten and the friendship I have made through it will last a lifetime. I will be attending a number of events during the next few weeks, so make sure and come up and say “hi” if you see me. Until then, slán, x
Míle buíochas as ucht gach duine a bhí i dteagmháil liom. Tá áthas orm insint díobh go bhfuair mo bhuachaill an All-Clear agus faoi láthair tá sé go hiomlan saor ó ailse. B'ocht mhí fíor-dheacair é agus is ailse an-dáinséarach é Sarcoma agus dá bhrí sin caithfidh muid tuiscint go m’fhéidir go dtiocfaidh sé thar n-ais ach beidh orainn
déileáil le sin má thagann sé thar n-ais. Tá sé iontach deacair siúl amach le duine l’ailse mar tá tú ag iarraidh bheith mar gnáth-lánúin ach tá an tríú duine sa ghaol, an tinneas agus is é sin an rud is tábhachtach. Caithfidh tú dul i ngleic leis.
Nuair a bhfuair Dean an OK, bhí sé ar nós gur bhuaigh muid an crannchur naisiúnta. Tugadh deis eile dúinn, deis nach bhfaigheann mórán daoine agus iad i mbun cóir leighis d’ailse. Aontím leis na ráiteas, "Tarlaíonn do shaol nuair atá tú gnóthach ag déanamh pleananna". Bhí mise i gcónaí ag ceapadh go mbuailfeadh mé le fear agus ansin, bheith muid ag siúl amach ar feadh cúpla bliain agus ansin gheobhfahd muid geallta agus ansin pósta agus ansin bheith cúpla páiste again ach ní bhíonn aon smacht agat ar cén chaoi a thiteann rudaí amach agus ba é an chéad uair domsa cónaí le Dean ná nuair a bhí sé i mbun chemotherapy. Bhí méféin agus Dean le bheith in Éirinn don tSamhraidh ach nuair a d’éirigh Dean tinn chuaigh mé chun bheith leis.
Anois go bhfuil an chemo agus radiotherapy thart, tá mo shaol ar ais agam féin agus is féidir liom díriú isteach ar mo Ph D agus críoch a chuir leis. Ní raibheas in ann smaoineamh ar aon rud eile. Táim i Nua Eabhrac anois agus gach rud go breá. Os rud é go bhfuilim ag cur deireadh le o thráchtas Ph D, tá múinteoir ionadaí faighte agam chun mo ranganna Gaeilge a mhúineadh i mbliana. Táim ag baint sult as an saol arís mar go bhfuil an tsláinte go maith ag Dean. Chauigh mé chuig Atlantic City an deireadh Seachtaine seo caite le deichniúr cailín mar go bhfuil mo chara Jen ag bogadh ó Nua Eabhrac go Londain leis an jab. Is as Corcaigh í agus tá sí ina cónaí i Nua Eabhrac le cúig bhliain anuas. Thug sí an méid sin tacaíocht agus comhairle dhom agus Dean tinn, is cara den scoth í. D’fhágamar slán leí le turas iontach go Atlantic City. Bhí an-chraic go deo againn. Go n-éirí leat i Londain a chroí.
Ár ndóigh tá séasúr Lá le Pádraig faoi lán seoil. Is breá liom gach duine a fheiceáil amach ag na himeachtaí ar fad ach i mbliana ní bheidh mé ag freastal ar an méid sin ócáidí mar go gcaithfidh mé díriú ar mo chuid scríobhnóireachta. Is pobal ar leith é an phobail Gael-Mheiriceánaigh agus comhairle a thugaim d’aon duine a bhfuil tar éis bogadh ó Éire go Nua Eabhrac ná bheith páirteach sa phobail gníomhach seo mar is ann a bhfuil mise lonnaithe le beagnach naoi mbliana anois agus tá an phobail ar nós clann mhór áit is féidir tacaíocht a fháil agus cairde iontacha a dhéanamh. Beidh mé ag freastal ar cúpla ócáid anseo agus ansiúd so má fheiceann sibh mé bí cinnte haigh a rá liom. Go dtí sin, slán, x.
