I reached a strange milestone. As of December 1, 2025, I have lived with cancer for half my life. When I think back to the day I got the news, it’s hard to reconcile it with where I am now. I’ve lived through unimaginable lows and unexpected highs: graduating, building a career, marrying Rachel, becoming a father, and somehow surviving long enough to look back on nearly nineteen years of uncertainty. I’m grateful for every day I’ve been given, even though some of those days have been filled with pain, exhaustion, and moments when I wasn’t sure I could keep going. I’ve felt hopeful and determined, and I’ve also felt alone, afraid, and overwhelmed. But reaching this point forces me to acknowledge both truths at once — the suffering and the gratitude — and see them as equally real parts of my life.