My plans

My short term plans are as follows:

- Any thoughts of a vacation to Egypt, Libya, or any place currently experiencing political unrest, are canceled. I did a report on Egypt in elementary school and have always had a vague plan to visit, but for now, I will keep it as vague.

- As a result of political unrest, gas prices have caused me to forget any plans to go on a driving vacation this year. Currently we are scheduled for a weekend in Maine and another in VT with a few more days in NY. But nothing farther. Well maybe.

- I will get my hair cut this week. It needs it. My hair cut has been canceled twice because of my scheduling conflicts and I feel like I am looking through my bangs (but that's better than being bald and wearing a wig so I guess I can live with that).

- I will continue to speak up to people who don't 'get it' when I talk about health issues. I am sick of being asked repeatedly and responding repeatedly about the same thing by people who just don't get it. I will no longer be quiet and polite - be warned.

- I will also continue to correct people who don't understand the difference between remission and NED (even though I am not a medical person). Remission is for systemic cancers such as lymphoma or leukemia that goes into remission - meaning temporarily, for months or years, it is in control. Remission doesn't happen with solid tumor cancers. NED or No Evidence of Disease is what they use for solid tumor (breast, bone, colon, etc) cancers meaning they can't find any in your body, you show no evidence of it. And those people who think they can use the word 'cure' or 'cured' when talking about cancer status, just shut up. There is no cure for cancer. Once they give you a cancer diagnosis, the best they can say is NED or remission meaning they just can't find it in your body.

- I will stop volunteering as I don't have enough time to do everything I want. I am over committed as it is.

- I will remember to bring a list of questions to my oncologist today so I can get the answers I need.

Perhaps I am a tiny bit cranky today but that is allowed sometimes, especially on days that include doctor appointments.