Poetry keeps me going!

That second targeted chemo, also called Votrient, seemed benign while I was on it but after I stopped, the side effects became the most horrendous chemo hangover imaginable. I did reach the frame of mind that I wanted to die. Now I am on immunotherapy, a third really benign IV-administered drug every 2 to 3 weeks that truly has minimum side effects called Nivolumab.

I am in Vancouver today, just vegging while Sandra goes to her last day of narrative therapy. Tomorrow we fly to LA, rent a car and wend our way to Buttonwillow, CA for one of our Christian conventions. We were there in 2013 and enjoyed it so much we wanted to go back.

Now, I wanted to say how important writing poetry is to me. I often write short poems to improve my outlook on life, and help with my cancer recovery. For me poetry is a big part of the mind-emotion-body-spirit continuum of healing. It feeds the mind, emotion, and spirit quadrants, counteracting any negative body aspects as a result of chemo cancer treatment. 

You know about my 2014 poetry book Pine Cones and Small Stones. And I have written dozens of poems since then. What you may not know is that 20 years ago I was given an Indian name by a Cree medicine woman White Elk Woman. She dreamt that a man named Warrior Poet would help her record her childhood dreams. So here is my poem with the same title:

Warrior Poet
Have you seen him come?Quiet shadow formed through river mist


His white steed treading softly on the mossy bank
Have you felt his presence?
In the stillness and cool breath of morning
His palms held out to you in friendship
Then, did you see him go?
Fading into the forest glade ---
A sense of joy and serenity
Lingers there

White Elk Woman was an artist then too and gave me a painting, a self portrait. And I will close this blog update by posting a photo of that self portrait. Here it is:

 

So there you have it. I really hope that my cancer recovery continues in the right direction. My oncologist says that the new immunotherapy should put my cancer into remission after a few IV treatments. My next one is on May 23.