how are you

Paul called last night. He asked me how I respond when people ask 'how are you?' I asked him why the question: Paul wanted to know if 'I'm well' was grammatically correct. I don't know. I think it is. but i don't know grammar rules very well, nor newspaper style for that matter. go figure.
but it reminded me of an incident last week when a colleague at the paper asked how I was. I said I was in between. She said what do you mean and I told her we're still trying to figure what is going on with my body and what treatment option to pursue. She was staring at me and I realized she didn't know I have cancer.
this can be awkward. and it happens more often then not. fact of the matter is, it's constantly on my mind and I just assume that's what folks are asking when they inquire as to my general being. most conversations with friends inevitably end up down this path and there have been a few times where I consciously withhold an honest response to the question of 'how are you?' sometimes I just don't feel like talking about it.