Today marks six months since I first heard the dreaded "L" word for the first time. (For you hopeless romantics, "Love" isn't the "L" word in this case. It's "Lymphoma.")

For such a momentous event, it feels pretty noneventful.

I've gone through some definite peaks and valleys in that six months. Okay, mostly valleys. Deep, deep valleys.

But you know what? I'm okay. I've come to terms with this whole lymphoma thing, and I've learned some positive things from it. I've researched and completed the treatment I felt was best for me. And so, I've done what I can to battle it. Now, I just have to trust that I've done the right things. So I'm in a good place. My happy place.

I have a blood test tomorrow, then another oncologist appointment on November 15th. That will be a month since completion of my Bexxar therapy, and the time when my white blood cell counts are starting to bottom out.

But since I haven't done anything medically-related for several days, I think it's good to reflect back on this whole experience, and to give a bit of thought to what I've learned along the way. And one of those things I've learned is, we all have certain preconceptions about cancer. (That includes me, of course...or it did, until I found out I had cancer.)

And so, I think I'd like to take on a few of those preconceptions in the coming weeks, and tell you why cancer isn't always what we think it is.

And the first preconception can be summed up nicely in the one question I've been asked more in the past six months than any other:

How are you feeling?

Seriously, anyone who knows I've been diagnosed with cancer asks me this whenever they see me. Sometimes, I get asked more than once in a single conversation. Obviously, we feel anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer must be feeling sick.

Well, I've never felt sick. At all. My cancer was discovered by a fluke, and I've never had any symptoms.

I think this might be a bit scary for some to ponder. I think we want to feel that we'll know when we have cancer, because cancer is bad, and so we'll feel sick when we get it...and thus, we'll be able to catch it early and get it treated.

Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. I'm proof of that.

Don't get me wrong; I know people are being concerned and all when they ask how I'm feeling. It's the cancer equivalent of "What do you think of the weather?" It's an innocent, safe, conversation-starter. I really do understand all of that. But when you get asked how you're feeling for the 800th time, well, you start to get a complex about it. I'm not saying this because I feel I never want another person to ask; it's no big deal, and I do appreciate the kind thoughts of all. I'm merely making an observation that we seem to thinik "having cancer" = "feeling sick." That's all.

However, the evil part of me is starting to think I should come up with horribly inappropriate answers, just for fun. A few options:

1) "Fine right now. But the doctors told me I'd feel better right before I die."
2) "I'd be better if I could find a liver donor...what's your blood type, by the way?"
3) "Just taking it a day at a time, because I'm told a sudden aneuryism could take me at any---GAAAAAAHHHHH!"
4) "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

Let's all hope the evil part of me doesn't win.