Nine Eleven

Five years ago today, on ninth of November 2011, I underwent massive life-saving surgery. In the five years since then I have had no recurrence of disease, the scar has paled and the muscles around it have knitted back together well. The original incision curved around my navel like a question mark and as the scar tissue has straightened, so my navel has become crooked and off-centre. In the grand scheme of things a small price to pay.

To the best of my understanding, five years marks the traditional boundary between remission and cure. My surgeon did not think he was going to save me. Today should therefore be a day of celebration. I wasn't expected to live long enough to witness another American disaster.