Blueberry Schnapps Cures the Blues

I had a busy day at work. My job is to write stories about cancer for people who want to lower their risk so they can try not to get it, or for people who already have it, to better understand their treatment options, or for people who've survived treatment, to learn how to deal with life as a cancer survivor.

I talked on the telephone to a man who was diagnosed with colon cancer 5 years ago and got better, but had gone through chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, and had to have a colostomy. He was charming and funny and told me how handsome he was. He was a pilot who had retired from the military and considered himself a real tough guy. But he broke down and cried when he told me how he struggled to accept that he couldn't control his cancer, or his fate, or his life.

I also wrote a story about a new drug approved by the FDA to help treat neuroblastoma. The new drug helps patients live longer, which is great. But to write about it, I had to learn all about this type of cancer. It occurs most often in children under age 5. The drug has very scary side effects, and it's used in combination with a lot of other treatment, including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and stem cell transplant.

So it was especially nice to come home to something as frivolous as a blueberry schnapps cocktail. We researched all our options, and decided to go with the recipe printed on the back of the bottle:

Bluesberry Cooler

Fill a collins glass with ice.

Add 2 oz blueberry schnapps.

Fill with club soda.

Add a splash of orange juice.

Blueberry schnapps is clear, not blue. At first I was disappointed, but quickly realized that it's a good thing, because otherwise my Bluesberry Cooler would have turned out green. Instead, it was a pretty light yellow. The drink was refreshing and light. I loved it. My husband did not like it, but was willing to imagine that it might be nice on a hot, sunny day. It's been raining here all week.