UNBROKEN [24.17]
October 27, 2017
Market: HoustonAthlete: Emily Ruyle, Marathon Oil
After receiving a cancer diagnosis, your sole focus becomes the cancer and treatment. For the last year, doctor’s appointments and treatment schedules dictated my life. While on chemo I had to be conscientious of my white blood cell count and avoid certain things that posed a risk to infection. I was working during radiation and that was just another thing to fit into my schedule.
Basically for the last year, I have felt like my life has been on hold.
I was losing my hair, losing a part of my body, and potentially losing the ability to have children of my own, while most 30 year olds were advancing their careers, getting married, having kids, etc. But this was, as I like to call it “a lump” in the road. What happens after you beat cancer? What happens when you aren’t going to the doctor every week? Does life go back to normal? What is normal by the way? I don’t really know what being a survivor means yet since it is all still raw; my last radiation treatment was in August and my one-year since diagnosis was this October.
However, a new season in life is beginning. My hair is growing back and I’m rocking a very nice spike! I’m frequenting the gym more (to train for The D10!), and adding social events to the calendar. I’m also taking more time for myself. I don’t stress out over the little things. I stop and enjoy the moment. I know this all sounds cliché, but its true. When you have been faced with your own mortatility through a cancer or similar diagnosis it truly does change your perspective.
Being a survivor brings it’s own set of challenges. With every cough, or ache, the voice in your head freaks out and thinks it’s cancer returning. There’s the anxiety of going back to the doctor even for just a routine follow-up. There’s also the emotions and pain that resurface when you hear of someone being newly diagnosed or who lost their battle to this terrible disease. This is among the primary reasons I am competing in The D10; to use my story and my gift of life and athleticism to fund the research necessary to treat those who do not respond to traditional cancer care.
If you’re someone who is on this side of cancer I’m going to tell you the same thing my doctor told me, “You’ve been through a lot, don’t be afraid to seek help.” As I was finishing radiation, my doctor said, “Go on. Live your life.” I’d like to think I’m taking my doctor's advice and doing just that.
On November 4th, I’ll be on the starting line at The D10. Living my life. Enjoying every moment.
Bring it,
Emily