I began this year as a full-time employee for the parent company of America’s flagship PBS station with a great team and a fabulous boss. I laughed heartily with my colleagues, loved learning the television industry, and I was enthralled as a core member of the team that launched the company’s first free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel. In short, I had a great job, but there was a hollow pit in my gut that kept me from being truly fulfilled.

My turning point this year was when I changed my primary care physician. During my physical, he asked me if I’d ever had an anal Pap smear. Because we did this screening, we were able to see that I had abnormal cells. Biopsies in April and December showed that I have HSIL, a k a AIN III, a k a Stage 0 anal cancer.

So, why am I grateful?