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A wake up email

I just received an email from a fellow MCL'er this evening, who is being prepped for a Stem Cell Transplant (SCT). He didn't mention what type of SCT, i.e. autologous, non-myeloablative (mini-allo) or myeloablative (full-allo), but I am guessing he is going for the non-myeloablative, since he is 70 years old. The other two require very high dose chemotherapy, which is difficult for even the youngest and fittest individuals among us to endure.

While I never enjoy hearing about the troubles others are having, I certainly appreciate it when someone writes to me commenting on my blog, and telling me what a "great" attitude I have. (Oh, if only the latter were true more of the time.)

Sometimes it just takes a jolt from some fan (so to speak), or a poster to one of the several lymphoma/leukemia message boards, which I hesitate to visit so frequently anymore, talking about their problems, to make me realize just how lucky I am.

But why does it take an email from someone, in worse condition than me, to make me realize just how good I do have it?

Comments

Becky said…
Apprarently we're not hard wired to think along those terms. We don't get up out of bed thinking how great it is to be alive.

This morning I woke pissed because the dog woke me (he was barking at a stranger)on my day off. What nerve!

I went to see Jim yesterday who had two lobes removed from his lung and he is having a hard time breathing. And I left amazed with breathing of all things!

You never miss the water 'til the well runs dry.

Maybe we should all read Walt Whitman.
Becky said…
I went to see Jim today and he is having surgery again today at four. I guess they put some temporary bars in his that they are going to now remove. I brought him a Christmaz Kazoo so he can practice his breathign techniques.

Don't forget I won't be in until Wednesday.

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