Lessons about adenoid cystic carcinoma from poker?

I am somewhat of a night owl now - waking up at various times in the night, and either making jewelry or watching late night tv (or both). I was flipping through channels one time, and one of the live poker championship shows was on. I heard the announcer say, as he was introducing the players: "no matter if you follow the rules, you can still lose this game." While I don't agree with 'fighting' cancer as a win/lose proposition, that statement could apply to those of us that are ACC-wearers. We can follow the rules set out in treatment protocols, or by the National Cancer Institute on their recommendations for healthy living, or by our primary care providers, yet still have the ACC come back. There is currently no way of us knowing our future path after that initial tumor-ectomy and/or ACC diagnosis. I may be doing more belly-button contemplation these days, since I am coming up to the artificial 5 year magic mark since the tumor was removed and diagnosed. Not sure. What I do know: I want to stress to anyone that thought they were rid of the ACC only to have it rear up again - don't blame yourself. As far as they (the researchers) know, we weren't to be blamed for having it the first time, and sure as heck aren't to be blamed for it coming back. I doubt I will be having a cake to mark my 5th year milestone (cake is nasty now anyway), but I will probably spend some additional quiet belly-button contemplation time, figuring out my part in this big-ol'-world and where I would like things to go if the game continues to play out in my favor. As for my fellow ACC-wearers - I wish for all of us days full of whatever makes us our best selves. Here's to many more years of game-playing for us all.