Hi Everyone! Sorry to have left you hanging. I needed a break from thinking about cancer – at least as much as I could. And it’s been long enough. So, I’m back with an update and farewell as I come up on 5 years since diagnosis.

I feel pretty good. Relatively small things like lymphedema, getting sick from colds sooner and longer than most, and restricted range of motion from scar tissue have become (a manageable) part of life. Unless I feel like something is up, I will see my oncologist and radiation oncologist annually. I’ll have another surgery to clean things up when I feel like it.

I am wonderfully distracted. Primarily, by John Oliver – not that one, but this one is also funny. We met about three years ago the old-fashioned way – at a bar (and that’s all you get of that story!). He sent postcards while traveling for work, I visited after cancer camp, and he was the source of that giant panda in the pillow palace. We live together in Lafayette, Indiana now <3

Work is great. So far, I’m pulling off traveling to Chicago at least once a week and working out of a cool co-working studio in Lafayette. The projects that I’m involved in are challenging and fascinating, and the people are still the best part of my job.

Thank you for helping me through the last 5 years. I am indebted to you for your thoughtfulness - shown through texts, cards, visits, gifts, donations to Caring Bridge, comments on my posts, and so much more. This mess would have been entirely unbearable without you. Take care (do your self-checks)!