Happy Thanksgiving

I'm aware that some Lympho Bob readers do not live in the United States. So as some of you may or may not know, today is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.

It's a day set aside for us to give thanks, as the name implies. The cynical will say it's really a day to not go to work, eat 3 times the calories that a normal person needs in a day, watch football, and get mad at relatives. I might be leaving something out, but I think that about covers the basics. According to the cynical, anyway.

But many of us do take at least a few minutes to think about what we are thankful for.

Especially those of us who are cancer patients. Sometimes that can be tough -- it seems like there is so much bad stuff happening, it's hard to think about something good that's worth being thankful for. But even in the darkness, there's got to be a little bit of light. Or maybe even a little bit of hope? Look at the good stuff coming out of ASH this year (I haven't finished with that preview). Maybe it's dark, but at the very least, you can be thankful that somewhere, in one of those kitchen drawers, there's a flashlight. Don't give up looking for it.

For me, this year I am especially thankful for my family. I've been thinking about my lymphoma journey lately (I'm coning up on my 7th diagnosiversary in less than two months), and the part my family played. I've had lots of reason to think about them lately, and how important they have been to me.

My wife, of course, has always been a rock for me. We have a way of balancing each other out, being strong for one another when the other needs it. I'm very thankful for that.

And my kids. I have three teenagers now. They're good kids. not perfect, but very good. The things they give us to worry about are really not so bad. I don't brag about them here as much as I used to, but they're still doing lots of things worth bragging about.

And my father. He's always been a good model for me. I'm thankful that he's still here for me, helping whenever and however he can.

And my brother. When I was first diagnosed, he was there for me in so many ways. Things have calmed down over time, of course, and the heat and danger that comes with a cancer diagnosis has slowed and slipped away. But I still appreciate all that he did for me. I'm thankful that he was there, and I know if I ever need that again, he'll be there again.

And my nieces, my nephews, my in-laws, and the rest of my extended family -- I'm thankful for them, too. As we get older, and our lives get crazier, and there's more distance between us, it's easy to forget about them. But when I get the chance to be all nostalgic, I think about good times, and they make me happy.

I have lots of other things to be thankful for (including that upcoming diagnosiversary, and the 7 good years I've had since then), but this is a year to be thankful for family.

I hope all of you can take a little time to be thankful for something today. It's good to think about the good things.