Skip to main content

Like Sand Through the Hourglass

So are the Days of Our Lives

I never watched that soap opera, but that intro always seemed so profound, and it even seems more so today.

It's hard for me to believe that I was diagnosed with MCL over 4 years ago, and I have not had any treatment. Yet still, so many other things have changed. Even sitting in the oncologists office this morning, I realized I'm still here, but so many others have moved on.

My original oncologist moved on, as did a number of nurses that were always in the back office. The receptionists always changed more often than the others, but I mention it today, because one of the old receptionists returned for a visit. At least I think it was a visit.

I didn't recognize her at first, until someone mentioned her name. I didn't say anything to her either, because she didn't look as good as I remembered, and I surmised from her conversation that she may of had cancer, hearing something about chemo in the conversation. I guess I should have said something, but I chose not to, not really know what I should say anywaze.

Everyday, on the email lists I belong to, new subscribers write about themselves, or some relative, being diagnosed with MCL, while we are informed of the passing of others.

Yet here I still am, everyday thinking that day is getting closer for me.

I couldn't begin to count the number of times I've felt under my neck, and I thought I found an enlarged lymphnode, or the number of times I thought I was experiencing night sweats, only to uncover myself, and I cool right down. And neither can I count the number of times I thought I was too tired or fatigued to do anything, only to force myself to go exercise, and end up performing, as well as, or better than I have before.

Yes life goes on, just like "Sand through an hourglass". It waits for no one, and I know it won't wait for me either. Eventually we all have to deal with the inevitable, I just don't know why we have to dwell on it so. There are so many better things to do with our time.

Cross posted at A Patients Perspective.

Comments

Walt Kelley said…
I too have MCL and am a snowbird. I live in NORTH CENTRAL ASHINGON STATE WHERE THE AVERAGE PRICE OF A HOME IS AT OR JUST ABOVE $100,000. We're about 125 North of Wenatchee WA where we have excellent Medical facilities, I spend 5 months in Hemet Calif & there the facilities are closer, but so overcrowded ( you know the reason)In Calif. We live in a 55 plus mobile home park and though we pay $400 per month for rent, you can buy a decent mobile for under $40,000. So best of two worlds if you are retired. Like you site,Walt

Popular posts from this blog

History IS repeating itself

I didn't grow up during the rise and fall of Hitler and Nazi Germany, so for me to claim it feels like those are the times we are living in now, must be taken with a grain of salt. But I have seen enough movies, and read enough history to know, if the times we're living in now are not akin to the rise of a Nazism and Facism in Europe in the 1930's and 1940's, then we're not far off. If you can't see the parallels with Nazi Germany, then you must be living in a different country than me. Republicans and other right wing extremists will stop at nothing to subvert the will of the majority, forcing their beliefs, that they are the superior race and have been appointed by God, to impose their will on America, while they blame all our problems on immigrants, blacks and Jews. As I speak, Mitch McConnell, and his minions are raising roadblocks to all legislation designed to help average Americans under the guise of fiscal responsibility. They condone violent and verba...

My concerns reaffirmed today

When I was first diagnosed with MCL, I pretty much read just about everything I could get my hands on, I attended various conferences, and I talked to anyone who would listen. One of the most important lessons I learned, and which I've mentioned numerous times before was No one cares more about you than you. But in addition to that, I learned to fear the drug Doxorubicin , AKA Adriamycin, Doxil, Hydroxydoxorubicin, or more affectionately the Red Devil. Besides being a deadly chemical, as is the case with most chemotherapy drugs, it is one of the few chemotherapy drugs known to cause permanent heart damage. I even heard Dr. Sandra Horning , a noted Stanford lymphoma specialist, state at the first lymphoma conference I attended in LA, there was no evidence Doxorubicin provided any added benefit to chemotherapy protocols. This was music to my ears, since Doxorubicin is very common in most lymphoma treatment protocols. And even though Dr. Horning has since changed her tune [which my sk...

Pet Peeves

Since it's raining today, I didn't have much to do [I couldn't ride my bike], so I thought I'd complain about some of the little things that bug me. I know I'm not supposed to sweat the little things, which I don't [for the most part], but these are so minuscule, I figure they don't really count. One of my biggest complaints are walnuts, or any kind of nuts, in chocolate chip cookies. Nuts have no business in chocolate chip cookies. Chocolate chip cookies are sweet. They're a dessert, and nuts provide an unwanted texture, and flavor that takes away from that. Nuts don't belong in chocolate chip cookies. And come to think about it, nuts don't belong in brownies either, but I don't usually eat brownies (I don't particularly like them), so I don't really care. Still they don't belong. They're OK in Snickers, but that's about it. Another complaint is with people who buy [or rent] a convertible, and then drive around in it with...