Before I talk about our trip to Dana Farber (and the start of Chemo: Round 2), I think it is a good time to stop and think about all we have to be thankful for. Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday, since it for most of us it really is the only one that has not been either corrupted by commercialism or ignored as simply another day off from work.
I think that we are living in the best of times in the best of places. In the 100,000 years since the dawn of man and the 10,000 years of recorded civilization, no group of people has ever lived better than we do. In many ways, the average American today lives more comfortably than even most royalty 200 years ago (unless you like fleas, bedbugs disease and other vermin).
And this Thanksgiving I am more thankful than ever for the amazing medical care that is available for most medical problems - including my own. There might not be a total cure for my MM, but there is a good chance for many more good and productive years. More and more, people are "living with cancer" as well as other diseases. And living well with them.
I am particularly thankful today because for the last week, the discomfort from by "strained back" has been getting noticeably better every day. I am still not back to 100% - that will take a while, but it is definitely getting better.
Yesterday, my doctors said I was progressing as expected and that the markers from the various tests indicated that the chemo therapy was working. I made it through the chemo round 1 with minimal adverse side effects. So I am thankful for that.
So. As you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner and spend the weekend with friends and family, don't forget to think about and be especially thankful for all the good health that you have (even if there is some bad health to go along with it). And also be thankful for the amazing resources that are available to those of us who face diseases. Yes - it might be expensive, but it is better to have it be expensive than to have it not available at all.
I think that we are living in the best of times in the best of places. In the 100,000 years since the dawn of man and the 10,000 years of recorded civilization, no group of people has ever lived better than we do. In many ways, the average American today lives more comfortably than even most royalty 200 years ago (unless you like fleas, bedbugs disease and other vermin).
And this Thanksgiving I am more thankful than ever for the amazing medical care that is available for most medical problems - including my own. There might not be a total cure for my MM, but there is a good chance for many more good and productive years. More and more, people are "living with cancer" as well as other diseases. And living well with them.
I am particularly thankful today because for the last week, the discomfort from by "strained back" has been getting noticeably better every day. I am still not back to 100% - that will take a while, but it is definitely getting better.
Yesterday, my doctors said I was progressing as expected and that the markers from the various tests indicated that the chemo therapy was working. I made it through the chemo round 1 with minimal adverse side effects. So I am thankful for that.
So. As you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner and spend the weekend with friends and family, don't forget to think about and be especially thankful for all the good health that you have (even if there is some bad health to go along with it). And also be thankful for the amazing resources that are available to those of us who face diseases. Yes - it might be expensive, but it is better to have it be expensive than to have it not available at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment