Happy New Year

Happy new year!

These past two months blogging has taken a back seat to…being. The book deadline, the holidays, and life all are moving along merrily. My daughter turned 8 last month and that just shook me to my core. She is such a lovely, interesting, funny girl and I remember with such clarity the moment she was placed in my arms. Lately birthdays are moments for me to sit back and really take it all in. (Penelope happily took in a new set of Legos and chocolate cake!)

With the new year came spring cleaning, cancer-style. I collected all the old prescription medications that had been in my “cancer bin” under the bathroom sink and drove them to the firehouse. (The environmentally responsible way of ditching unused medications; I can only imagine what would happen to fish and frogs if they slurped down Vicodin and assorted antibiotics.) The firefighters asked me a few questions before digging through the bag and when they noticed a few opiates, I quickly told them I had been a Stage IV cancer patient. That took care of that! They grasped my hand and I was on my way and feeling so much lighter.

I think for a while I was scared to let go of the things that had been so routine in my life; almost like Linus’ blanket in Snoopy. Sometimes I feel like I’m tempting Fate if I throw something out from the “old” days, whether it’s the skirt I wore for months on end for travel to the drug trial, a top I wore during radiation treatment, or a shirt I wore when I still had my port in. I bagged everything up and said thank you (the new trend in cleaning out a closet, thanks to the Japanese de-clutter book everyone is talking about) and started fresh.

As I move forward in this new year I’m still struck when I read about a young cancer patient who’s passed away or another who is diagnosed. It just spurs me on, to keep helping, writing, reaching out–any way to help fellow travelers on this road trip.

My next scans are scheduled for next week and I am taking deep breaths and thinking cancer-free thoughts.

Back to work on the book! Hope to have lots of book-related news to share in the next few months.

Until then, be well.