Monday, November 10, 2014

1000

This is my 1000th post to Lympho Bob.

I've seen it coming for a couple of months, and I've kind of had it in the back of my mind that I should do something special for it. I thought maybe it could match up with Thanksgiving, but the timing wasn't right. Would have been nice to be thankful in the 1000th post.

But, really, I am thankful, and I don't need a federal holiday to do it.

I'm thankful to all of you who read and comment and encourage me to keep writing.

If you've been reading for a while, or if you read some of the posts from the beginning, you know why I started this blog. Like so many of you, when I was diagnosed, I had no idea what I was dealing with. I heard CANCER and assumed the worst. Even for a few months, I still didn't quite grasp what an indolent cancer was, and why watching-and-waiting made sense, and what it all meant.

When I started, the blog became a way of letting people know what was happening. My wife and I know from experience, when someone we know and care about is sick, sometimes we're in a position to say, "How is it going? How are you feeling?" But we also know that sometimes, there are people that you care about, but that you aren't close enough to that you can call anytime and ask how they're doing.

So we decided that I would start this blog. It would be a way for people to know what was going on without wondering, "Is it OK if I call?" or hearing something from someone else who might have heard something about how I was doing and not getting the whole story. Basically, the blog would be a place for people to keep up without having to ask.

And it worked that way for a while. Friends and family visited regularly, and checked in on me, and made comments. And after a while, my doctor visits weren't so frequent, and I ran out of things to say about my lymphoma. And fewer of my friends and family read and commented.

Eventually, it became clear that I probably wasn't going to die any time soon, at least not from my indolent Follicular Lymphoma.

And eventually, my family and friends found other ways to gather together online. Which was fine. I was happy for the reason.

And every now and then, I'd get a comment from someone with Follicular Lymphoma who had somehow found the blog and who appreciated what they read. That was always nice.

And one time, someone who ran social media for a cancer drug company (I don't remember which one) started posting links to my posts on the company Facebook page and Twitter feed. That was pretty cool.

And then, somehow, more people found the blog. And I started to hear from more and more Follicular Lymphoma patients that they enjoyed reading what I'd written. And that was very cool.

Writers love to be read, and when I write on this blog, I always have readers in mind. But in the end, I write this for myself. If all of you went away (not that I want you to), I'd still keep writing. The blog gives me incentive to keep learning about my disease and what's being done to make it go away. I won't stop doing that -- I'll always be a Cancer Nerd. And every now and then, the blog is a place to express a frustration, or work through an idea. I won't stop doing that, either.

I don't know if I could have ever imagined, when I was first diagnosed, that the blog would last as long as it has, or that it would become what it has become. But I'm glad it has.

So I thank you all for reading. I promise I will continue to do my best to write about things that matter to Follicular Lymphoma patients, and I will do it as clearly and accurately as I can.

Expect another thousand posts -- at least.

17 comments:

Andrea said...

Your blog is great, thank you, and greetings from Italy!

Anonymous said...

Hello there, I've been reading your blog from quite some time ( I think I got your link from a Lymphoma facebook page..) and thought your 1000th blogaversary was a good time to comment. I was diagnosed with ( Indolent)stage 4 B Marginal Zone Lymphoma back in June 2013, but unfortunmately, things were pretty bad at diagnosis, so I spent 10 days in ICU getting transfused and on antibiotics ( to rule out infection -high fever) and so I got 6 rounds of RCHOP and am now 1year remission and on Retuxin maintenance. Your blog is very informative, so thank you for all the research you do. Your personal experience, although different from mine, is very encouraging. I hope to be around for a very long time! I am a 45 year old woman with 2 boys..I never in a million years thought that this would happen to me. Things now are pretty much back to normal, but being on Retuxin maintenance every 3 months is kind of like a security blanket for me..I've got 1 more year to go. after that, I guess it's just a question of moving forward and hoping that I'll have lots of time till the next time I'll need treatment again. It's reassuring to hear about all these new non-chemo drugs for NHL..thank you again for all the great info! Wishing you many more treatmernt-free years!! Lilly

Lymphomaniac said...

Grazie mille, Andrea!

Lymphomaniac said...

Thank you, Lilly, for the well-wishes, and for sharing your story. Good luck with R-Maintenance. I hope it keeps working for you.

Anonymous said...

I too appreciate all the research you do and sharing your findings on your blog. I have a 3 month follow-up appointment next week if it I get a good report I graduate to seeing the doctor every 6 months. Hoping I never have treatment again but if so I know there are options thanks to you! Kelly

Anonymous said...

Hi thank you for your blog and all the information and thanks for giving your time to us and your humour because sometimes we need to laugh at this cancer. Laughoma if you please.
Mel

Biblio said...

Your blog is my "go to". Thanks for enriching my life with information, humour and rationale insight...not to mention that it is well written and you are above reproach for grammar and spelling. When people ask me about my follicular lymphoma, I give them your link.

Jackie said...

Thank for your blog. I am 65 (will will be on Nov.26), was dx with Stage 4, Grade 3a fNHL in March 2007. Received 6 Chop-R treatments and then 2 yrs R-Maint. Been in complete remission ever since. I first heard about your blog from Karl at Lymphomathon and have been a faithful reader since. Keep up the great work and know you are appreciated very much!

Lymphomaniac said...

Good luck, Kelly. Let us know how the appointments goes.
Bob

Lymphomaniac said...

Mel, I love "laughoma." That's awesome.

Lymphomaniac said...

Biblio,
Thanks for sharing my link with others. As for my grammar and spelling, I know some things slip by me when I'm too much of a hurry to proofread, but my wife catches them and makes me correct them. So you can thank her.....

Lymphomaniac said...

Jackie,
Thanks for reading, and congratulations on your continued remission. It was nice of Karl to pass along the information about my blog. He's been a big help to me since I was first diagnosed -- more than he knows, I'm sure.
Bob

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU BLOG FOR YOUR WONDERFUL BLOG. LOVE READING IT IN OUR JOURNEY WITH FNHL.

Robyn said...

Congratulations on the 1000 mark!! I can tell you that your blog got me through one of my darkest moments when my husband was first diagnosed at age 38 with stage 4 fnhl with three young kids including a newborn. I was lucky enough to come across your blog in my mad search of the internet in those first few days. I read through every post in a matter of two days. Your humor and wealth of information was something I will be forever grateful for, we were then able to face that first appt with the oncologist with a small grasp of what we might be facing and a whole list of questions for our doctor. Everytime we see our oncologist we are prepared with questions, I think our dr is impressed with our depth of knowledge and I am waiting for day he asks for my sources and I say "Lympho Bob" :) so kudos to you!!! Lympho bob is a nice add to my home screen and look forward to the next 1000 posts to come. Thank you!!!

Lymphomaniac said...

Robyn, I'm honored to be on your home screen (even my wife doesn't have me there). And I'm glad I was able to help out so much during a tough time. I hope your husband is doing well.
Bob

Ginny said...

I echo other comments from readers. You are my "go to" man regarding FL. Thank you for all the synthesis of information you do. It makes following research developments so much easier!! Happy Thanksgiving--I am grateful for you, Bob!

Lymphomaniac said...

Thanks, Virginia. A happy Thanksgiving to yo, too.