More this evening, I promise

Sorry I've been away from the keyboard.  Here's a small but dangerous pirate for you until I get to expand the entry:

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Our hote.

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View from our balcony

We're on the bus!

And headed for the hotel. The trip has been great so far. I'll give more detail when I'm not on a Blackberry.

Well Baby Visit

Went to G-town yesterday--all is well.  Looks like I'm responding to the new treatment and have started the next cycle.  Actually got into the back room at 10:45 for a 10:30 appointment.  That shatters the old record by a wide margin.  Left lung still now fully up to speed, but no x-rays needed.  Left G-town by noon and got to spend the afternoon catching up with my friend Elena and her daughter (also my friend) Tayrn.

We leave for Disneyworld tomorrow.  While I'm there, I'll try to take a few minutes to tell you about Robbie's best Christmas ever.

May Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot...

Happy New Year!  Happy new year indeed.  Let me start by saying I'm in pretty good spirits all things considered, sipping a very nice Schramsberg champagne on this New Year's Eve, reflecting back on what by any standard would have to be called an eventful year.

OK, let me say it:  THIS.  YEAR.  SUCKED.  In the great scheme of things, 2009 has joined the pantheon of 1985 and 1988 as 'The Years that Sucked Most in My Life'.  (If you want to hear the 1985 and 1988 stories, it will cost you beer or really good single malt Scotch.)  To review:

February 2009:  Diagnosed with cancer
June 2009:  Almost--in fact, should have--died from viral pneumonia
July-September 2009:  Recovering from June 2009 adventure
December 2009:  My dog died

That was a year of sustained suckatood.  So how is it I can sit here on the cusp of 2010 feeling generally okay about things?  Part of the reason (and here's where I start kissing up) is you.  It's you and all the other people who have supported me, who have prayed for me, and who care about me.  This could have been a very lonely time, a very lonely battle.   I hope you never have this sort of opportunity to know how important it is to know how many people care about you, and how many people there are that care.  Make sure you tell the people in your life who don't have CLL how much they mean to you.

2009 had it share of blessings.  I got a new job and the opportunity to lead an superb group of professionals.  Until the hospital interlude, I was really starting to advance in my yoga practice.  I met some incredible people on both sides of the medical fence--patients and medical professionals.  I got to see Christmas through the eyes of a child again.   Sometime soon (while it's still somewhat topical) I'll share the story of Robbie's Christmas, and how he now is more convinced than ever that Santa Claus is real thanks to things I did.

I have great hope for 2010.  I'm already seeing improvement from the new treatment I'm undergoing.  We're heading for Disneyworld next week, where Liz will be running her Marathon-O-The-Week.  Robbie is very excited.

Resolutions:

I will--however slowly--get back into my yoga practice.
I will get back into the habit of walking at least every other day.
I will reconnect with friends from whom I have drifted.
I will be more patient with my son, the most precious thing in my life.
I will work with Liz to remember that before Robbie, there was us.

That ought to keep me busy.

Anyway, it's almost 11:00 and I'm almost done with the champagne.  As an aside, growing up in the Central Time zone made New Year's strange--the Times Square ball always dropped at 11:00 p.m.  It was pretty anti-climatic.

Thank you for reading this blog.  Thank you, Louise, for suggesting it.  Let's hope 2010 is filled with wonder and joy.

At the end of yoga practice, it is traditional to say "Namaste" (nah-mah-stay), which means "The light in me salutes and honors the light in you."  To each of you,  Namaste.

Happy New Year.

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Sunshine's paw print captured in a plaster-of-paris ornament, sent by the veterinarin's office.