How Do I Answer Poll Results

A little over a week ago I put up a poll on the Blogger site asking folks to vote on alternative ways for me to answer the casual "How ya' doin'? that so often serves as a greeting and becomes significantly more difficult to answer when faced with a cancer diagnosis.

During that post I admitted to using what had become my standard response for quite some time: "Oh, I'm hanging in there." The impetus for the posting and the poll was to explore if there was some way to better reflect my current status (inflicted with a serious illness but handling it well and in good spirits) without burdening the peapod delivery guy or afternoon telephone solicitor with a dissertation on lumbar punctures and the timelines for resulting headaches (maybe that would work with the solicitors, come to think of it).

To be honest, I kind of rushed through the choices I included in the poll and perhaps they were a little uninspired. For those who did not see the poll, the options for me to use for answering the "How are you" question were: "I'm Unremarkable", "You wouldn't believe me if I told you", "Good . . . considering", and just sticking with "I'm hanging in there.

I received 21 votes. My three new options each received 4 votes. That leaves 9 votes and a clear mandate from my support network (assuming you believe that 21 votes from what has become a small army of a support network constitutes a mandate) that I should keep my old response.

I have to say I was a bit surprised at first. But, I've got time to think and digest and I suppose Marie's sentiment posted on the blogger site sums it up--the old response just sounds like me. Much has changed for me over the past couple of months. Priorities have shifted and habits and daily activities have come and gone. What hasn't really changed is what most people seem to associate with me: my attitude, my "voice", my outlook.

I've written several times that I have been given no reason to change my attitude or my outlook. With this in mind, it seems that perhaps the wisdom of the masses overrules the patient. Maybe, it isn't the words that I choose in order to respond to a casual question that never really sought an in-depth answer that is important. Perhaps, instead, the critical evaluation is the amount of thought going into the "How are you?" If the question comes as I'm being handed 8 bags of groceries at the front door I can see how this would be quite different from receving a call from family or friends who are calling to check on me--the detail of the response should reflect the thoughtfulness with which the question is being asked. My only concern is my ability to read the intent of the question. Please consider this an open invitation to press me further if I stop with "I'm hanging in there."

Thank you, support network, for your insight. I've said all along that these blogs help me as much as they serve you.