Well, it’s my birthday today. 52. No, you’re right. It’s not an incredibly important birthday, as birthdays go, but I’ve always loved celebrating birthdays, and getting older hasn’t changed that feeling. Not even having myeloma has changed my opinion on birthdays, or “birdies,” as a good UK friend calls them…

On the contrary, I feel much more strongly about birthdays now…And so I passionately celebrate every birthday, every year that goes by with no conventional treatments, every year during which I’ve led a healthy, active, interesting, full life, every year I spend with Stefano and all my loved ones (furry ones included, of course), every year with a high quality of life…And, by the way, I feel like a 25-year-old…could it be from all those antioxidants I’m taking? 😉

Anyway, whatever happens, I’ve had a good run. And I plan to keep it that way for many years to come! Yes indeedie!

I wrote about having “had a good run” because earlier today, while I was going through and choosing the items on my computer desktop that I want to take with me to the U.S. (= unread studies, some work-related stuff…), I found an unfinished post written quite some time ago. It’s titled “Four years.” I didn’t need to open it to know what it contained.

Back in 2005, my first hematologist told my Stefano that, based on my test results, I would survive for only FOUR years after going through a conventional set of treatments, including an autologous stem cell transplant.

Stefano had been so upset that he’d erased this conversation until just recently, when he told me about it.

So.

Only four years, huh?

Well, almost EIGHT years have passed since that conversation took place, and I’m still going super strong…(no conventional treatments). 🙂

Ah, statistics!!! Useful for some things, of course…but ONLY to a point, as we all know by now…

Now for a brighter note…First thing this morning I got THE BEST PRESENT in the world from my wonderful, thoughtful sweetie. As I finished getting the cats’ breakfast together, Stefano came into the kitchen and handed me a sheet of paper with a drawing of, drum roll!!!, a pair of spectacular birdwatching binoculars! YAAAY!!! (I’ll explain why I got a drawing, not the real deal, in just a second…)

While we were on Skokholm Island, you see, I had tried someone’s binoculars and had been literally blown away. There were three peregrine falcon chicks on a distant ledge overlooking the sea…so far away that we could barely spot them (and our photos came out all fuzzy, in fact…bummer, that!). Well, with those binoculars, I could see the three chicks plainly, every single feather, as though they were only a few meters away from where I stood. Unbelievable…

Evidently, Stefano made a note of all that “binocular” enthusiasm and decided to splurge on a super duper pair of binoculars for my birthday. He couldn’t have come up with a better present. And what made it even more purrrrrfect is that I wasn’t expecting anything like it, since I’m well aware that a good pair of binoculars is incredibly expensive (and we really can’t afford anything like that right now!!!). Yeah, he’s really a fantastic guy, I know I know I know!!! 🙂 Anyway, the fantastic waterproof (etc. etc. etc.!) binoculars are going to be delivered to my parents’ house tomorrow, so I’ll be able to test them out while I’m in the States…

As it happens, there are heaps of birds on Cape Cod right now: http://goo.gl/QJOFq So hey, juvenile bald eagles, flamingos, and all the other Cape birds, watch your feathers, here I come!!! 🙂

Okay, I’m done now. I just finished putting a ton of unread studies on a memory stick that I will take with me tomorrow (I’m leaving tomorrow for Massachusetts), so at least I have really good intentions…

And, speaking of leaving tomorrow, I need to get off the computer right NOW.

I’ll be in touch here on the blog this Saturday or Sunday from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A.!!! Ciao, everyone, and take good care of yourselves!!! 🙂

P.S. Cute cat patty-cake video: http://goo.gl/qepGT