LIVING WITH MCL

Went to see my primary care physician for my semi annual check up. We were talking about a few things that were bothering me, when the conversation turned to the operation to remove my basal cell carcinoma, and she [my PCP] commented that I have nice looking skin, and to be sure to use sun screen to protect it. WOW! No one had ever said that to me before. I'd never even given any thought to the condition of my skin, let alone think of it as good looking. Not exactly sure how I responded, but I do remember commenting that using sun screen could hamper my ability to absorb Vitamin D. She sort of laughed, and tried to convince me some Vitamin D would still get through. I wasn't confident enough to argue, so I just left it at that. But it was shortly after that, when I was talking about cycling and bikes with the EKG tech, who had just performed an EKG on me (I complained to my PCP about some chest pain when exercising), that I got my biggest surprise. The receptionist at the desk,

I was going to upgrade my smart phone to the new Samsung Galaxy S3, but when you came up with your new Share Everything Plan , I decided against it. I know I can keep my unlimited data plan, for now, but if I don't upgrade by 6/28, I won't be able get a subsidized phone after that date, and keep my current plan. And that's what pissed me off. [note]I can get a subsidized phone, and have the option of choosing a standalone data package starting at $30 for 2GB (what I pay for unlimited data now), which would be OK, as I typically use less than 1 GB a month. It's just the principle of the thing.[/note] In one regard it may be a good thing. I don't need a new smart phone. My old DroidX works fine. And I definitely don't need to waste $300 for a new one. Heck,  l'm not even convinced I need a smart phone at all . This staying connected all the time thing, and being inundated with a constant stream of news and propaganda, can't possibly be a good thing. There&

Today I learned, Lance Armstrong, the most drug tested athlete in the history of sport, is being accused of doping, again . This time by the US Anti Doping Agency (USADA), who claim they have collected blood samples from him in 2009 and 2010 that were “fully consistent with blood manipulation including EPO use and/or blood transfusions.” Really! What took them so long? The French have been trying to make allegations of drug doping stick for years, ever since he won his first Tour d'France, but to no avail. And now the USADA claims to have evidence to support that claim, and they've waited almost 3 years before releasing this evidence. Needless to say, I am skeptical. Then there's this from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO): Increasing the federal excise tax on cigarettes by 50 cents per pack eventually would increase Medicare and Social Security spending, slightly. Eventually? What is the CBO suggesting here? That we should encourage smoking, because if we don't, in

The more I thought about my last post, the more I wondered about the concept of "positive thinking". Is it real, and is there a good definition for it? Does it mean being upbeat? Can you be depressed, but still think positively? Can you be happy [upbeat], but think negatively? Can you be negative for the short term, but positive for the long term? or vice versa? I'm pretty sure at any given moment in any given day, month or year, I could fit into each of those categories. Can't I just enjoy life now, despite the knowledge I'm going to die sooner than later? Is that thinking negatively or positively? After all, we're all going to die. I just have a better idea of when that is going to be. And is that a good thing or a bad thing? Just some thoughts to ponder, and maybe even take your mind of the inevitable. :)

There's been some talk lately, on the various message boards, about what effect, if any, positive thinking plays in curing cancer. This topic has been discussed many times in the past, so I was surprised when both Karl, Lymphomation , and Chaya, CLL Topics , reposted on this subject in the same week. (I guess they're also running out of things to write about.) So not to be out done, and since I don't believe I've ever addressed this topic before, I thought I'd get in on the action, and reiterate some of the ways I've approached dealing with cancer. It was either that, or posting about how doctors are to blame for emergency room overuse .) Like most knowledgeable people, I am of the belief positive thinking is a good thing, it's just not going to cure your cancer. Thinking positively will make you feel better, because going through life pissed off, and/or depressed all the time, doesn't do anyone any good (just trust me on that). That type of thinking is