I’ve not been writing about my experience with radiation sessions because not much of interest was coming up for me, in body sensations or in feelings. Aside from an itchy raw rash that popped up on my chest and a bit of extra fatigue, the procedure seemed rather benign. Until this past Friday. In my second to last session, 15th of 16 in total, the radiation machine, called a linear...
We argue
My honey and I adore each other. Our love runs deep and our love languages are in total sync. Yet we argue. We argue a lot, like the proverbial cat and dog (pardon the metaphor; I know plenty of cats and dogs play nice). We argue almost daily, now for over three decades. Whatever you do in life, surround yourself with smart people who’ll argue with you. John Wooden By the way, with my honey...
As time goes by
The days are blurring together for me… and I now realize it’s been over a week since this lunar new year started… and my last post. The thing is, the new year started just a few days after my near-daily radiation therapy treatments. Today was session 9 of a total of 16. Passed the halfway mark; another small win! Happiness is all about celebrating small winsAbdul Jawad Khattak In an effort to...
Happy lunar new year
Today is the first day of the year. On the lunar calendar, of course. I didn’t learn about this calendar and how hugely the new year is still celebrated in parts of the world until after I arrived in China in the 1980s. And ever since then, I’ve appreciated the chance to start the year all over again! Hehe… So, Happy Lunar New Year! Often called the Chinese New Year, I prefer to be more...
It’s not a battle
We say or hear things like “kick cancer’s butt,” “win the war against cancer,” “conquer the disease,” and “slay this enemy!” One has proclaimed, “beating cancer is a personal battle.” It’s enormously personal, alright, but is it a battle? This is my question to reflect on today. I find it curious that with cancer, as with few, if any, other diseases, we so often...
A good BALANCE
When we talk about finding healthy balance in our lives, we usually mean giving quality time and attention to both our work and private lives. Fair enough—in another space (my business consultancy) I’ve tackled that subject quite regularly, since I believe—and there is plenty of solid evidence—that there are all kinds of business benefits to having one’s mind and body in tiptop shape. Yet...
Making a hard decision
For most of my life, making decisions has come quite easily for me. And that was partly because of the way I handled them. Often I already have the necessary information I need to decide swiftly and effortlessly. Daily choices made in life and business immediately come to mind. For instance, I don’t agonize over what to wear on any given day. Nor do I characteristically hesitate whether or not to...
A numbers game
I’d like nothing better than to be able to stop griping about things going wrong. But then… things would have to stop going wrong, wouldn’t they? Today I was hit by a reminder that at times life can feel like little more than a numbers game. My medical oncologist decided yesterday, without conferring with me at all, to prescribe hormonal therapy (HT). I was just given the Rx, without explanation...