I'm Back!

I told you I'd be back, and here I am.

I also told you I was going someplace warm, and I did.

My wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary last week with a cruise. We stopped at Nassau, Bahamas for a day, and at Havana, Cuba for a day. We enjoyed both stops very much. We also enjoyed knowing that it didn't get above 15 degrees at home (-9C), and that our kids had to shovel a foot of snow without us.

It was the first time either of us had been on a cruise. We'd heard a lot about the cruising life from some family and friends who have done it, so had some idea of what to expect. We decided not to pay $20 per day for internet access, so we were able to unplug and just relax and enjoy ourselves. A few days in, I told my wife that I had realized this was the longest I had ever gone without checking the blog. A strange feeling.

But worth it. Mostly because it was nice to spend a few days not thinking about cancer. Even if it isn't worrying me, I check my blog at least once a day, and check into a couple of online support groups, and my Twitter is pretty much devoted to cancer advocacy. So it's really not possible for me to not think about cancer in some way everyday. It doesn't mean I worry about it. Just that I think about it.

But not for those few days. Instead, I spent my time hanging out with my wife of 25 years, eating good food and listening to great music, and meeting really nice people from all over the world -- passengers and crew members. That was the part my wife and I liked best. I always enjoy hearing what life is like for people whose lives are different from my own.

And that's what made going to Cuba so great. That was the real highlight of our trip. As you may know, the U.S. had travel restrictions for Cuba since the early 1960s. They were relaxed a few years ago, but then tightened up again within the last year. So I wanted to go to Cuba, mostly because I don't like being told what I can't do. (You might have guessed that if you've been reading for a while -- I think it's a good attitude for a cancer patient to have.)

The people in Cuba were very friendly, and we learned a lot about their lives. We also met some very nice people from around the world -- New Zealand, Canada, the Philippines, Indonesia, Russia, and of course, from all around the U.S. As one of the Cuban folks we met said, "People are people. We're really all the same, deep down." Very true.

So it's time to get back to work. I have a very long list of Lymphoma-related things I hope to accomplish in the next few months. I hope you'll keep coming back to hear all about them.

Thanks, as always, for reading. I hope this new year brings you all peace, happiness, and good health.