Ain’t no morning like a lung cancer Stage 4 morning

Stepping outside to a 49°F (9.4°F) dawn in June, coffee steams up from my "Lucy the world's largest elephant" cup (it's a Jersey Shore thing) as I watch a guy trying keep his dog from barking at every critter that runs or flys through the breaking fog. ... cinnamon swirl toast spread with peanut butter, can a morning be better?

“Pressure pushing down on me

Pressing down on you …”

Each and every morning since being told my lung cancer staging had rocketed form Stage 1 to Stage 4 with brain metastasis has been a Stage 4 morning and believe me there ain’t no morning like a stage 4 morning.

“Turned away from it all like a blind man

Sat on a fence but it don't work…”

“

I do not do yard sales, yet Saturday out of the blue I did. My storage facility was sponsoring a unit yard sale. Set up a table or sell from unit. It was fun and I bought for only $2 the tackiest homemade beer stein ever.

Actually Saturday was a 'double', later pushing Patti up the hill to attend her niece’s college graduation party in 90˚F+ heat.

“Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking

Can't we give ourselves one more chance?...”

Monday I deejayed a 7 hr field day for Stone Ridge School in Bethesda, MD

Tuesday  I deejayed a party sponsored by Prince George’s County Associaton of Realtors for Fair Housing Poster Contest winners and their families in Lanham, MD

“Tomorrow gets me higher, higher, higher...

Pressure on people - people on streets”

Wedneday I deejayed a Fundraising Reward Party at Pine Grove MS, Baltimore, MD … PLUS this middle school was recognized as the Baltimore County Public School’s LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR to the Children’s Cancer Foundation with close to $17,000.00 going to provide assistance to children with complex medical conditions!

“Cause love's such an old-fashioned word

And love dares you to care for

The people on the edge of the night …”

Shouldn’t I be fatigued after brain radiation therapy? What’s with the stigmas? Is all anyone ever knows about Stage 4 a buzzkill?

Yes I lived 17 months in Stage 1 lung cancer and no one ever asked me if I was tired. Sooo why the stigmas of Stage 4?

My intention is not to thump my chest but stigmas are really starting to piss me off. Each of us diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer brings our entire lives to the 'Battle of Stage 4', there is nothing anyone can quickly change.

I am blessed with no other health issues. A quarter century of juggling Multiple Sclerosis caregiving, parenting and deejaying was and is physical caregiving and has left me unencumbered by any of the sedentary life style related health issues of most 60+ males.

Maybe it’s the touch of radiation but I feel great!

... even a bit surreal as I bemusedly smile at the phrase “life expectancy” in terms of major home appliances. Thank you Queen and David Bowie for the phrase “insanity laughs” … you have no idea how empowering buying a refrigerator with a life expectancy of 11 years will be today.

“And love dares you to change our way of

Caring about ourselves”

UNDER PRESSURE by Queen and David Bowie

... fingers snapping, I'm off.

--
Patrick Leer

Health Activist:

Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/

My Lung Cancer Odyssey @ http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/