2001 Things To Do Before You Die

In May of 2023 I was sent for a PET Scan. A PET (positron emission tomography) scan is an imaging test that uses radioactive material to diagnose a variety of diseases. Doctors use it to find tumors, diagnose heart disease, brain disorders and other conditions.

I had enlarged lymph nodes around my heart and throughout my body and so the immediate concern was Lymphoma. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of the body’s germ-fighting network.

The test was performed and at the next appointment my doctor informed me that my scans “lit up” and now I would have to wait 3 weeks for a biopsy to confirm my diagnosis. The 3 week wait for the biopsy was excruciating and at this point it was inevitable to think about my mortality and all the things I have done and all the things I still have yet to do.

I immediately remembered the quote from The Shawshank Redemption. “Get busy living or get busy dying.”

I went on Amazon and immediately purchased the book “2,001 Things To Do Before You Die” by Dane Sherwood. The clear solution to my anxiety was to remember all the things I have done so far in this life and to stay positive and try and plan for some things I have yet to do.

The book was written in 1997 so some of the ideas are a little outdated but with some imagination you can make it your own and that’s exactly what I decided to do.

Three weeks passed, the biopsy was performed and the lab results finally came in, it was NOT cancer! I was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis which is a disease characterized by the growth of tiny collections of inflammatory cells (granulomas) in any part of your body — most commonly the lungs and lymph nodes. With treatment and medication it is managable, and I will live out the rest of my natural life.

But having gone through this I realized it was time to really step it up and live life as the adventure it deserves. So I invite you to take this journey with me, buy your own book, fill up journals and blogs, make memories and truly cherish the time we have here on earth because you really never know when it will be your last.

You’re probably wondering how I will tackle these 2,001 things. The plan is to close my eyes, flip through the pages, pick a page and then point to something to do and just have fun with it!

If it’s something I have done before then I will tell the tale, find pictures, and write about it. If it’s not something I have done then it will be time to get to it!