Five years ago, at the crack of dawn when I was highly drugged up and talking nonsense about the operating room not looking like Grey’s Anatomy’s set, my surgeon and thyroid doctor cut my cancer out of my throat. A surgery that went more than a couple hours longer than it was supposed to (thank you tumor for wrapping yourself around my vocal cords) and that included having to stay at my parents until I could lift my head and eat somewhat solid foods.

New normal has included thyroid supplement pills, more doctors appointments than I think I had in my first 27 some years of life before the C-word, Google searching every symptom I have possibly had, learning how to understand my blood tests, not passing out at blood work anymore, not freaking out over the scar on my neck and accepting new normal.

But today…I celebrate. With friends and dinner at one of my favorite places. I’m sure bubbles will be had. And while there’s always still a chance the C-word returns, this feels like a milestone worth celebrating.