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 My goals for blogging:
*drop some crazy insight on life all over the place
*pretend to be hilarious
*have something the do during the five minutes I am not studying
*update family and friends and internet strangers of my progress
*write down my "feelings"
*meet Oprah... (Natasa, get on this)

Okay, so now I am just being silly, and that is kind of how I want this to go anyway. If there is ANYTHING that I have learned through this whole process, it is that you cannot and should not take life too seriously.

Wow, how rude of me, allow me to introduce myself: My name is Olivia and I am a medical student, sister, daughter, friend, and cancer patient. Yep, I just went there. The quick gist of it all: I was diagnosed in December with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I am halfway through my treatment. And I am ok. (Shew, glad we got that out of the way...)

Basically, I went into this process one person and came out the other side with an entirely new outlook on life.  Like I was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself, sometimes you just have to laugh at your life. Life is crazy and no one of us can or will ever see any of it coming.  The more you try to control it, the less control you actually have. You have just got to go with it... Otherwise, you will never be happy. And surprisingly, I am pretty dang happy most of the time. I'd like to think it is because hearing the words "you have giant mediastinal mass" (my response: "are you f@#%ing kidding me!??!) slapped all of the fog right out of my head and allowed me to see clearly for the first time in my life. So here's some of that knowledge I am about to drop all over y'all: LIFE IS GREAT. I have a wonderful family, amazing friends, a brain that I use to dominate medical school, and the opportunity to live a comfortable and happy life. In short, I really have nothing to complain about. I mean, yes, I have CANCER. But when you put it all in perspective, that is just one, albeit giant, speed bump down this life road. And I am driving down this road in a beautiful blue mini-cooper convertible with the top down, bald head flowing in the breeze.

So, I guess that is all for right now. Let's just try to sit back and see where this blog takes us- no need to go putting it in a box just yet. And if I am the only one that reads it, then that will be just fine with me (what, don't think I wont read every single post over again and again and again!... basically, I think I am hilarious.) But feel free laugh, cry, and email Oprah the link to this blog.

Liv