Where the heck have you been?

Excellent question. Be prepared for the lamest of answers, but I have found busy-ness to be a welcome (though overwhelming) change from cancer-dom. Cancer world is a place where you focus most of your energy inward - self-examination of mental and physical states takes one hell of a lot of energy. I now find that those inward-oriented "looks" are both simpler and not as important to my days (and nights). The sleeplessness of chemicals and worry have been replaced by the heavy sleep of exhaustion after a hard day's work and play.

I ride my bike a lot. I work hard (both at my paid job and at home tasks). Too many things are on my plate, but I rather enjoy a full-to-overflowing plate much more than the one that looks picked over with only bits of salad and potato left. I finally succumbed to Facebook (having been pushed into LinkedIn by a colleague and then goaded by my wife to "get with it"). I have enjoyed many a glass of beer or bottle of wine with my friends. I am enjoying the living of my life.

But the blog suffers. And even the most deicated blog readers slowly drift away as a result of my inattention. Cancer survivorship is a heavy responsibility - for family, for friends, for those whose journey is just beginning - but I have been giving myself room to distance myself from the 24/7 mental and physical work that chemotherapy is. Just ask anyone that has gone (or is going) through it.

I am well. No evidence of disease through the second round of post-chemo CT scans. Next "viewing" is in December, right before we head to SunRiver for a week of post-Christmas skiing and playing in central Oregon. It's nice to have stuff like that to look forward to...