So, let me just cut to the chase: about six weeks ago, I got the shock of my life when I was diagnosed with cancer. Moi? What the what?!? Okay, so after I picked my jaw up off the floor, cried a lot of tears, and experienced a lot of scary thoughts, I tried to look on the bright side.

  1. It was caught super, super early. That’s awesome. I’m not dying. I’m living.
  2. I have really excellent doctors, whom I trust. Trust is so important, I think. I mean, sure – you always want “the best” when you’re dealing with something like this, but wouldn’t it be awful if you didn’t feel confident in “the best?” If you didn’t believe they were being straightforward, they didn’t listen to you, they didn’t answer your questions? Well, I lucked out on that score because my doctors are “the best” AND I trust them.
  3. I believe I now possess the ultimate trump card.  A friend has a bad day at the office?  “Aw, that sucks for you,” I say.  “But guess what?  I have cancer, so shut it.”  I kid.  I would never exploit an illness like that…
  4. Depending on how things go, there may be some awesome wigs in my future.  I was talking to my sister (and potential wig-shopping partner) about this, and we agreed that this might be the ideal time to go platinum.  As in blonde.  I’m digging it.
  5. I’m getting at least a few weeks of rest out of the deal.  Sure, I’ll be at home recuperating from surgery, but this is a “bright side” post, folks.  So picture it:  I’ll be at home, catching all the “Law and Order” reruns I can stand (because you know how much I love that show), and I won’t be expected to “fob in” or look at a Blackberry.  Those of you in the business know how it works when we’re on vacation:  we say we’re “on vacation,” but we are constantly checking email.  It really is an addiction.  So all in all, I’d say this is a pretty sweet set-up.  Sure, I’ll be in pain but that’s why Big Pharma exists.
  6. Absence makes the heart grow fonder.  Suddenly, I’m not so replaceable at the office.  (cackle, cackle).  😛
  7. The downtime will allow me to start some new knitting projects.  A definite upside for me, but maybe not for the unsuspecting recipients (victims?) of my craft.  My poor niece.  Her poor mother.
  8. And – most importantly – I see a pink t-shirt in my future.  Those of you who know me have probably heard me say this many times:  I’ll pretty much do anything for a t-shirt.  Run a 5K?  If there’s a t-shirt involved, sure.  Paint over graffiti on Earth Day?  Just hand me my t-shirt first.  Mud wrestle a pig?  Well, no one’s ever asked me to do that, but I would definitely consider it if the t-shirt was super-cool…and free.

So, upon further consideration I’d have to say yeah – there’s definitely a lot of upside here.  And not just for me.  You get an upside too.  Since I’ll be out of circulation for a few weeks (you know – shopping for wigs and such), you won’t have to read my silly musings.

Oh, and one more thing:  I hereby promise not to turn this into a cancer blog.  Nothing wrong with people blogging about their cancer (or other illnesses); it can be therapeutic.  That’s just not what I want to do.  I will definitely get back to commenting on all things metro DC, with a few minor changes.  Going forward, I’ll make sure to make it clear that I visited the Washington Monument…with cancer, or went to the Kennedy Center…with cancer.  I kid, I kid!  Seriously, I’m joking.  I would never do that.  Unless I also happen to be rocking the platinum blonde wig.  And a pink t-shirt.