Almost Four Years Out

In a few weeks it will be four years since I underwent parotid surgery to remove a pleomorphic adenoma. Never in my wildest dreams would I think this little blog would attract so many folks from all over the world. As I type this, my stat counter told me there were over 2,000 readers last month who stumbled upon this site, one way or another. And over the past 4 years, over 29.000 people have visited.

These stats make me pretty darn happy I created this site. And not because I see how many people this tumor affects, but because I realize how "not-alone" I really was, at a time when I felt completely abandoned in the world. When I first started writing, I came up with 3 reasons I was creating this site. Let's look back on them....

1. to have a place where I can track my progress. Yes, this has been a wonderful way for me to remember what I went through, see how far I've come, and to refer back when friends ask me questions about the surgery and recovery.
2. to share my recovery with my family and friends. Well, yes, that part is done and over with. Because I no longer have the tumor in my body, and it has not reappeared over the past 4 years, I don't believe any of my friends or family ever have a reason to come out to this site.
3. to help those who may be going through the same sort of health issue. This is where I feel the most proud of tracking my journey. I've had many readers reach out to me with questions and have asked for guidance while they are going through the same type of surgery. 

I've also heard amazing success stories from some of you. Your stories are what make this blog special. Your stories provide additional comfort to the thousands of you who are searching for answers on pleomorphic adenomas or may be preparing for an upcoming surgery to remove your parotid gland and tumors.

If any of you had a positive experience and would like to add YOUR STORY to this site, please reach out to me. I'm more than happy to include your story here, as there are more than enough sad and discouraging stories blasted all over the internet about pleomorphic adenomas and parotid surgeries gone bad. This site is a place to provide a reassuring and positive outlook on a rather frightening time in your lives. 

I hope as you read this you take away 2 things. 1 - if you are dealing with a pleomorphic adenoma or are about to undergo parotid surery, you are not alone. 2 - there are more negative websites and stories posted online than there are stars in the sky. But that doesn't mean there aren't as many positive stories out there. Mine is one of them. And I want you to remember that as you read other blogs and may become worried. 

You're not alone. You're never alone. Ask any and all questions, I'm more than happy to share what I've gone through. 

xoxox,

Kym