Every day can be the trip of a lifetime.
I was at Dana Farber Cancer Institute again today. I was supposed to start the "study" that I mentioned in the previous post. It got delayed for two weeks because they forgot to tell me to stop taking my current medications. So after weening myself off the steroids and stopping the main cancer drug, I … Continue reading 10. The Guinea Pig, Day 1
I know you've been on the edge of your seat waiting to hear about the results of the PET scan. So here we go. The scan showed exactly what the previous three and a half years of scans have showed. Widespread lesions of the prostate cancer in my skeletal and lymph systems. On the plus … Continue reading 9. Plusses, Minuses and a Valuable Lesson Learned
I went for a PET scan recently. This was not something I was interested in doing. I already know from the bone-scan tests I had three and a half years ago and another just last year that the cancer had reached stage 4 with widespread lesions throughout my body in my skeletal and lymph systems. … Continue reading 8. Ultimately, The Goal is to Die Happy & Peacefully
I know I write a lot about meditation here. It's something that I've practiced for decades and I find it a very valuable tool for living, especially in the face of death. For the past 6 years my practice has been a combination of three things: impermanence, mindfulness, and cause and effect. Impermanence is a … Continue reading 7. Self Connection & Self Reflection
Sometimes the hardest part about writing a blog post or article or book for that matter, is the title. If the title doesn't grab your attention you may just skip over it. It's really tough. And when I try to come up with a clever title, so that you'll be motivated to read, I feel … Continue reading 6. Approaching Death: Watching & Understanding the Mind
Death is inevitable. You've heard that before. Many times. There is no way around death. It's a fact of life. Yet we either ignore it hoping it will go away, or it scares the shit out of us if we think about it for too long. When we think about it and dwell on it … Continue reading 5. Death, Meditation & A Chance Encounter
I was diagnosed in Spring of 2021 and was immediately treated with a hormone blocker (not hormones). This hormone blocker shuts down the production of testosterone in the body. Testosterone is the "food" for the prostate cancer. This body would not be producing testosterone for the time being and there would be many physical changes … Continue reading 4. What It’s Like Day to Day with Stage IV Cancer
After I was first diagnosed I began to notice that my inevitable death didn't seem that foreign of a subject to me. I took plenty of time to reflect and take stock of the past sixty-plus years of this life, and I saw many examples of death. Examples that I now realize were meant to … Continue reading 3. A Lifetime of Preparing For Death
It doesn't make sense. It has never made sense. I was at my annual PCP doctor's appointment in Spring of 2021 and everything seemed fine. There was one minor concern though. My PSA test, which I've done every year for decades, was a tiny bit out of range. Normal range is 1-4, mine came back … Continue reading 2. Diagnosis – Getting to Stage IV Cancer, Seemingly Overnight.
Most mornings at home we brew some tea and read aloud to each from a book containing astrological, tarot and numerology insights for the day. Part of the practice is a ritual or sometimes a writing prompt. Today's reading prompted me to contact three friends and ask "what is the greatest lesson you've learned so … Continue reading 1. Life’s Biggest Lesson (so far)
Which Country From? 