WARNING: I am still living in Tumortown … or am I dying?
When you see me in pictures and in person I am certainly blessed and thankful, but I do still have terminal cancer. It feels strange, confusing and oh-so whiny to type that here and sometimes even more confusing than a year ago.
When I listened to a beautiful album last week, “Everything” by Darden Smith, I was transported to my in-patient rehab bed a year ago. First song is “Blessings” and whole album is truly beautiful.
This week I started chemo round 8 and Jo Ann and I will meet again with Dr B. If as anticipated, we will update each other and agree to continue this course. I and Jo Ann won’t ask how much longer I have to live because no one knows. Dr B will ask if am having any new pain and I’ll try to answer that strange question. Jo Ann will schedule two blood draws in about three weeks for Dr V.
- my sleep is frustrating
- my food is liquid … without sugar nor carbs
- mornings hard
- sentences about ’time’ are difficult
- I will read and change this update many times
- you will ask, “how are you?” and I really appreciate that question
- and I will stumble for an answer
- I will doubt this update
- I will read more of “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” by Yuval Noah Harari
- I will ride, lift, row and review parts
- Jo Ann and I will discuss parts of Anti cancer again
- Thank you for asking each of my kids and my Jo Ann, “how are you?”. If you’re lucky and you listen; they might answer that important question. I’m pretty sure it is more difficult for them to live with Garym than for me to die with it.
dws.
“Everything” by Darden Smith, 2017
“21 Lessons for the 21st Century” by Yuval Noah Harari, 2018
“Anti cancer A New Way of Life” by David Servan-Schreiber, 2017 by Penguin
“Tumortown” by Christopher Hitchens via VanityFair
Explore posts in the same categories: Cancer, Science, The Good Life
my road 
August 21, 2019 at 2:43 pm
Bless you, Don for your honesty in this post. While your journey with Jo Ann and the rest of your family has been difficult, you have been teaching all of us who follow you how to handle cancer and its sucky counterparts with grace and dignity. Thank you for allowing us to see this part of your life.
August 21, 2019 at 2:48 pm
<3
August 21, 2019 at 4:12 pm
You are so loved, and I rejoice at each day you have with all of us. I celebrate every step you take away from your chair and out of your home, and note that those steps are all with family and friends sharing in what they also love. ❤️
August 21, 2019 at 4:37 pm
I count every time I see you in person or in photo smiling with your beautiful family a blessing. It brings me genuine joy. We all know we cannot even begin to fully comprehend your journey, but we appreciate that you choose to share it with us anyway. We each have the opportunity to embrace living life abundantly – to learn, grow, cry, love, and share blessings – each and everyday we wake up. You do it well, my friend and inspire me to do the same.
August 21, 2019 at 5:31 pm
❤️ “Everything” by Darden Smith, 2017 ❤️
youtube.com/watch?v=9ck2hDMQbL8