The end of January and the month of February have taken a toll on my mind, body, and soul. As most of you know, I lost an old friend to breast cancer in late January. I have had a more difficult time with her death than I expected, but really it simply brought to a head some issues that have been building inside of me for some months.

The long and short of this is I need to take a few days for myself, so I am turning off the computer later

tonight and trying to think about things other than cancer and the needs of others for a few days. I sense that I can either take a week to focus on my own issues now or face a much longer break later I will have less control over.

I realized yesterday that I have not stopped moving since Jane’s bout with the H1N1 flu in October and November of 2009–over four years ago. It is four years ago this month that we first knew there was something not right with her health that was more than slow recovery from that bout with the flu, though we both hoped otherwise.

I am not sure what the result of this sabbatical will be. I need to spend some time thinking about priorities and what they mean to me–and where I can be doing the most good for the greatest number. Rest assured, this site will continue to be an important part of my work. Carcinoid/NETs is going down. Period.

But I need a break before I break.

Talk to you all soon.

Pax et lux,

Harry