cancer catharsis..a poem, a song, a respite

[Guest guest]

CANCER CATHARSIS

JANUARY 2010...KAREN HOFFMAN

(PLAYED ON AN AUTOHARP..HENSE THE STRINGS)

Melanoma, Carcinoma, Mesothelioma,

Sarcoma, glioblastoma, neurofibromatosis,

Wilms Tumor, Adenocarcinoma, Giant and Small Cell,

Hard to tell but you just can't breath well and your prognosis just ain't too

swell.

Breast Cancers, Prostate lesions, dysplastic Bone Marrow,

Grade one, two, three and four will you live to see tomorrow?

Cancer's Cancer's, named after a crab, Hippocrates thought the name to borrow,

Treat, cure, Remiss or reoccur you never can be sure.

But...

I am alive, yes so far I've survived. There's not a thing I haven't tried

So my friends ask me why?

So I can...

Dance and sing and play these strings,

Yes, I am alive!

I'll dream and write a song or two,

As each new day arrives.

Chemo brain, constant pain, cramps through the night,

radiation burns, weight loss, stomach churns,

It's part of the fight!

You're tatooed with marks for the rotating beams,

That zap through your skin,

Go home and sleep, think good thoughts and pray

The next day you're back again.

Surgical Resection, proctocolectomy, thoracotomy,

radical mastectomy, all kind of ectomy,

IV needles with pumps for the pain,

oxygen at your nose then a blood draw again.

Blood transfusion, Epogen, Nupogen, your body reacts.

Oh please God your brain cries out,

Just make this too pass!

But..

Just stay a live, yes then you'll have survived

By whatever means you can contrive

prognostic doctors all lie.

You can sing and dance

and play these strings, yes you can survive

You'll learn that life is made of things

money can't buy!

Alternatives like a hippies dream made from medical marijuana,

kelp, and wheat grass are keen,

Coffee enamas, Starbutt to some

Hold the cream and sugar, it's just for my bumm

Rawfood, microbiotics, fasting and organic narcotics

Energy medicine, acupuncture, massage,

sweat it out, install a sauna in your garage.

Bottom line (did I say that?), your trick is to pull life out of a hat,

What to take, who to see, how to live, what to be?

But...Just stay alive, by this thought you can abide,

There's a lesson for the wise...

Who stay around and survive.

you can...

Sing and dance and play these strings,

Yes, you have survived,

Find yourself at last, the time to kvetch is past,

you are alive!

I am alive, we are alive, you are alive!

Thank you for reading this. I enjoyed writing it!

Dr.