I have not written here in a while, but not for lack of content. I have been off active treatment for almost a full year but I am still a regular at MSK Uniondale, talking NY Knicks with security guards and responding to “Doc,” which a lot of the staff call me, having either taken care of me at some point or after seeing our TV spot.

I still get routine labs, scans, needles to the abdomen, more often than not on a post-call day. I wish I could spend my precious free time in more sexy and tantalizing ways, but hey, could be a lot worse.

This past weekend was MSK’s Cycle for Survival event. Last year’s was an emotional roller coaster for us, as I was still in active treatment and had the (terrifying) opportunity to speak to the crowd. I was relieved that this time around, I could simply blend into the background, just another guy in gym clothes and Peloton shoes, right?

That was the case. Mostly. I was struck by how emotional I got writing on the Message Wall. Earlier timepoints of my life flashed before my eyes, through my heart. People who remembered me from last year came to shake my hand and give me hugs. I am not sure if they remembered my words or if they were just relieved to see that I was still around.

I have become pretty good at quickly digesting emotionally charged moments. Conversations of morbidity and mortality can come and go like water-cooler talk about sports and awards shows. It’s one of the super powers of a cancer patient.

Although the specter of the next CT scan is ever looming, I continue to live fairly awesomely. I love my new exorbitantly overpriced Nike dumbbells. I made some delicious gigante beans for dinner. We go to the Bahamas in a month. Ok bye.

~Sachin