Greetings Dear Readers! I have been negligent again! I don't know how many of you are still checking in - don't have any responses of late - but these notes are updates as the next phase of my life plays out. This recurring cancer reality did come as a bit of a shock: I had felt pretty cavalier after radiation and was reveling in my "remission." But it's not all that came with the revolving calendar. What we label as our "new year" (our fictitious parsing of passing time) has shown itself as time fraught with issues: our contentious national politics; the continuing economic uncertainty here and abroad; the recent spate of storm disasters; this week a rash of senseless violence in various settings. All of this leads me to realizes that there are social, economic and political "cancers" that are in dire need of figurative "apoptosis" (a natural conclusion and rebirth of hope for a positive future.) We seem to have few "treatment protocols" for these various sicknesses, however, I am increasingly inspired by the Occupy movement. Think of capturing just a piece of the resources controlled by the 1% and committing these resources to curing cancer and other currently "incurable" illnesses, and of course addressing such underlying "diseases" such as poverty and lack of education.
This is what a truly human community could look like.
Being back in the treatment world has truly brought me face to face with the realities of chronic recurring cancer. I started a four cycle every three weeks dosage a week ago Friday. I will be recounting some research about the advances that enable the very concept of "chronic recurring cancer" - seeing cancer as an ongoing condition that can be managed over time. I have just read a great site that provided examples of many people living with recurring metastatic cancer. This kind of information is invaluable to those of us in this strange situation of uncertainty. One of those quoted is Suzanne Lindley who is surviving metastatic liver cancer. I thank her for this wonderful poetic description of our reality:
There is no better balance or perception of life than when dancing on the edge of a cliff. ... With each step there are ups and downs, ins and outs, the unknowns, the spontaneous energies of balance—death and life, good and bad, despair and hope—that are there to embrace. … For those of us who dance on the edge it is important to grasp the promise that lies in the next step as each one brings more options, better treatments, and very soon—a cure.
Wanna dance?
Thanks so much Susan!!
Quote retrieved from: http://curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/journey.
