Some Post-Vacation Observations

I've browsed through my blogger list of blogs at times and have seen blogs where the last post was two weeks ago, or a month ago, and was sure that my blog would never be one of those. But here it is more than two weeks since my last post. So some random thoughts.

* To blog or not too blog: As I said to Stacy, it's a win-win situation. If I'm blogging, it's good because I'm writing. If I'm not blogging, it's good because I'm not thinking about cancer (or at least about my cancer). I believe that's the definition of optimism.

* I had coffee with a young woman who was recently diagnosed with follicular lymphoma. It was odd to be on the advice-giving side of the table. As I explained my experience with chemo, I was walking the fine line between nonchalance and been there/done that, and giving realistic expectations of what's ahead.

* Every once in a while it's good to just read the comments on the blog. It's a good reminder that there are a lot of people who are dealing with the same issues, and thinking the same thoughts.

* If I haven't mentioned the blog LymphoBob before, I am now. He is a follicular lymphoma blogger, always knows what's going on in the fNHL research world, posts frequently, and, to top it off, is a Red Sox fan and quotes The Princess Bride. The link here is to his post about survival statistics. He and I share the same philosophy, I think, on statistics.

* The somewhat prolonged absence from the blog was not all because cancer wasn't on my mind. That was part of it, but it was also because we were on vacation and I avoided all social media channels. No Facebook. No Twitter. No Blogger. No work email. It's good to disconnect every once in a while.

* Two years ago on vacation, I was a couple weeks post-diagnosis. Last year on vacation, I was two weeks pre-chemo. This year on vacation, none of the above. Here's hoping next year will be the same as this year.