Leaving Home

Spending my last few minutes in the big beautiful house where I spent the last 10 years. Where I almost died, and I have lived strong. Where I have hosted one daughter's wedding (in the pouring rain) and attended another's and where two granddaughters were named. Where I mourned the loss of my father. Where I have partied a lot and where I have hurt too much. Where I lived since before my cancer diagnosis and for its whole duration and during my near miraculous remission that has given me new purpose in life (we did move to Ohio for three months for treatment in my clinical trial with ibrutinib). Where I grew my raw vegan teeth and was spoiled by organic food from our garden. From where I drove to attend the LA Kings winning their first Stanley Cup. Where I have had some wonderful neighbors and some not so great. Where a million friends have visited at good and bad times. Where I have loved and laughed and had an amazing time.

So many memories.

So many challenges.

So many blessings.

I am ready for a new adventure.

A new launching pad.

Life is good.

Next post will be from my downsized apartment, what my friend Todd calls the hatchery due to its necessarily stripped down nature.

My internet connection should up again tomorrow, but I am off early in the morning to Philadelphia to speak in front of a hundred lawyers that work for Janssen about the patients' perspective with CLL.

Who would have thought when I has diagnosed eight years ago that all this and more would come to pass?

Remembering 10 and 6 year anniversaries

In two days, it will be the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. Everything changed, It is a new reality for all of us.

On a much smaller personal scale, six years ago yesterday, I got the first message that I had my own internal terrorist attack to deal with it.

Six years ago yesterday I got a CBC back with an elevated white count that turned my life upside down. My absolute lymphocyte count was under 12,000 that day, more than twice normal. Today it is around a heathy 2000.

Those extra monoclonal lymphocytes six years ago changed everything in my life.

It has a wild and wonderful trip.

More later on the good and the bad from living with my new personal reality.