Reflections on my New Year's Eve, 2012

[Cllcanada]

I spent the News Year's Eve with a friend, watching Canadian comedies on television and raising our endorphin levels... while sipping a small glass of Cointreau...

New Year's Eve TV comedy is a Canadian tradition, and none better than a long time group, known as the Air Farce... now in their 42nd year and coming from the tradition of Saturday Night Live and Monty Python.

But something bothered me...last night...the show wasn't quite the same old Farce, certainly funny enough...but something fundamental was missing...

Then I remembered, the death of a founding member of the group, Roger Abbott last year,

to a 14 year battle with CLL... the Farce isn't the same without him.

Suddenly, the Air Farce program started a dream skit about the Canadian/Soviet hockey series of 1972, where Canadian hockey legend, Paul Henderson, scored a last minute goal

on Vladislav Tretiak to win the Hockey Summit Series...

Then...low and behold, there was Paul Henderson, having a nightmare, waking

up to find himself in bed with goalie Vladislav Tretiak ...funny!

Paul Henderson too is a CLL patient and patient advocate...currently in treatment...

Small world...

So...what else?

My friend lost her father to Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia and CLL a few years ago...

Me...well 2013 is my 15th year with CLL and now a Richter's transformation... an additional diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

One room, two people and a television...four instances of CLL.

CLL...silent, insidious and deadly. How many lives it touches...

Air Farce website... airfarce.com/

Roger Abbott arts.nationalpost.com/2011/...

Paul Henderson blogs.montrealgazette.com/2...

~chris

[sparkler]

It sounds like you had an evening of mixed emotions and some nostalgia Chris.

CLL does touch many lives, considering it so uncommon. When I was diagnosed just over 2 years ago, two of the people I told, said they knew of someone who had it. I got the usual "they're absolutely fine; had it for years; no problem"...... people don't understand its subtleties and nuances and how it affects people differently. I'm sure their friends who had it, also suffered more than their friends realised.

Yes it touches many and yet also brings people together - as it has done here; allowing people to share their knowledge and experience and helping so many to feel less alone.

Thank you Chris for sharing so much with us and I hope this year is kind to you.

sparkler x

[Gartshore]

Thank you for sharing your poignant New Year stream of consciousness sequence with the forum. When I was writing my 'Happy New Year' post a wee while ago I was thinking particularly of you, Chris. x

[joycecanada]

Hi Chris....I wish you health and happiness in 2013. I think of you often, you have been (and continue) to be my "go to guy" for information and advice on CLL.

Joyce

[Newdawn Administrator]

A touching and poignant blog devoid of self-pity which seems to sum up your attitude to all this Chris. Always up to date, realistic and full of cutting edge scientific information on CLL (any chance you could be free to accompany me to my next haematological consult?) lol.

And I found myself looking at your link (by cut and paste) at Air Farce. Had never heard of them but did look very much in the comedy genre of Monty Python so I'll be acquainting myself further!

Wishing you well next year Chris. We know you're fighting your own tough battle with this but still make the effort to share knowledge and experience with others on here.

Newdawn x

[PaulaS Volunteer]

I only just got round to reading this post, and was touched by it. So sorry to hear about your Richter's transformation, Chris. I've been appreciating all your contributions to this site, and realised you were very welj-informed about CLL. I guess (sadly) you've had a lot of time and experiences to bring you to that point.

I've also only just realised (after your talking about Canada) that your screen name is NOT pronounced "Clicanada" but "CLL Canada" . Maybe it's a problem with my computer screen, but the non-capital "l" looked like an "i" to me.

Anyway, I echo the sentiments of the contributors above me, in wishing you well for this coming year, as you face whatever tough situations might be ahead. And hopefully there will be some unexpectedly cheerful times as well.

Blessings on you,

Paula