Dear Cancer,
You can kiss my ass. Yup. Said it. ASS. We have met before. Too many times, in fact. We were introduced through family, through friends, acquaintances and even strangers. I am writing to you today, as I have done before. Remember when I told you to KISS MY BUTT ? Errrh, well now I am swearing, and saying ASS. I am feeling a bit more bold. Take that, Cancer…. And kiss it. Stick it where the sun don’t shine.
More importantly, I am here to now officially say to you Cancer ~ You kissed it. In the countless stories I have heard about you, it is so refreshing to share a positive one. A story of a guy named Michael Knowlton (my hubby) and how he has fought you like a chemo marathoner. And won. He won big. Like the lottery, but only better.
I would even go so far as to say that he looked you in the face * Cancer * ….and gave you the big fat middle finger.
Then he drop kicked you when you weren’t looking.
If you had a face * CANCER * he punched it. Right square between the eyes.
He knocked you so far back into another century, that your Cancer clothes are outta style.
If the world was flat, he threw you * CANCER * right off of it.
For me personally….CANCER is the one thing, the one disease, where I throw all my punches. I flail my arms like a big sissy and take a big flying girly swing. A girl has to do, what a girl has to do….And damn it, I never wanna miss.
I’m not gonna lie.
I have lived a life surrounded by Cancer. Haven’t most of us? Don’t be freaked out at this moment, and run out the back door.
I tried it, and it doesn’t work.
Like many of you, I have had a front row seat to watching Cancer.
They might even be box seats.
Seats with premium views, and double buttered popcorn.
For those of you who know our family personally, I must confess that I have been feeling sorta guilty. No blog posts of late on Cancer. I have been having such a hoot blogging about design, travels, and inspiration, that I didn’t even bother to blog about the life in between.
My bad.
Too bad, so sad.
My fault, your problem 
I would like to promise that I will blog more about Cancer updates but that would be a big fat juicy lie. I have a packed schedule of ’de-Christmas-fying’ around here. Shuffling away Santa stuff ( yes, still !!! don’t bug me), and finding things that I threw in the closets during the holiday season. If you open a closet door here, I am sure that something would come flying out and attack you.
Ok, truth…because I promised I wouldn’t lie to you…I am heading to PARIS again soon and I am spending all my time trying to dream up words in French again. Hellooooo French is hard enough to learn, and it’s an even bigger Bi*tch to remember. Old age sinking in. Like the Titanic. The icing on the cake of old age is the need for reading glasses too….Gaaaahreat…What’s next ? Dentures?! If I get dentures some day, I am going to stud them with diamonds and maybe a gold tooth. Just for kicks.
Ok, I promised the scoop on Michael so here it is…
There was time when Michael was so sick, he required TWO blood transfusions. His slow-growing Cancer suddenly kicked into high gear. It revved its engine and took off like a bat outta hell. He was literally yellow. Almost green like Kermit the Frog. Without the cute frog accent. His blood counts were dangerously low. He had night sweats that looked like a floating lake on his chest. With waves. Big water waves. He was sleeping like a dog on a hot summers night. Couldn’t drag his butt outta bed ~ unless we hollered “dinner!!”. He lost weight.
His bone marrow was infiltrated with 75% of Cancer.
Noooo kidding. Freaky, right ?!
Remember….don’t run out the back door, it doesn’t work.
Chemotherapy walked in our front door. It looked him right in the face. We decided at that moment that Chemotherapy is not poison, it is LOVE JUICE. It is the healing potion. Believe me, I know what an oxymoron that sounds like. Lived it ( by watching it), been there, got the freakin’ poster.
He has had 7 monthly rounds of chemotherapy, and a week of steroids in between. No he does not look like the incredible hulk. Maybe the green part occasionally, but that is where it ends. He does look FABULOUS though, and he has been fighting the cancer fight like a fine tuned athlete. He is fighting a cancer that occurs ONE IN A MILLION.
He is one rare dude.
A dude who knows how to fight cancer with peak performance.
So the big scoop of Michael’s Peak Performance in his fight against Cancer is that his chemo should {kinda} end in one month.
{ this is where you jump up and down and throw things all over the room in excitement }
Never mind if anyone is looking.
I do it all the time. It is fine. Do the Happy Dance !
Someday, I hope that he will have the chance to share his story and continue his incredible business work. He is a world-class facilitator, and if I get the chance to stand in the room and watch him tell his story…
It may be the best day of my life.
In the big picture, for the next two years, he will do chemotherapy every three months. He may continue this style of maintenance Chemotherapy for up to 5 years. Yup 5 years. That sounds a pinch daunting.. 5 years more of chemo ~but then again, the way I see it…at least the daisies will be growing under his feet.
I like that better than the alternative.
So rather than think HOLY SH*T….2 to 5 more years of chemo ??!!!! whaaaat ?? I think….
We have him. We have him here.
That is something to celebrate.
And it reminded me….
*
WE CAN SURVIVE
*
WE CAN-CER VIVE.
Do Epic Shit, because it Matters.
Came across your site through the twitter world, so inspiring and so beautifully written.
My husband has a tattoo on his upper arm that’s stands for his second chance at life….he is a true believer in second chances and ensuring you live everyday to its fullest.
No job is every to hard for him. The tattoo is a picture of a cross on the top it says “PART II” on the bottom “HOLD MY OWN” it represents his second chance at life after his work accident where he suffered severe burns to his legs. No task is every too large to conquer.
Your husband sounds like a fighter and he has a great cheerleader by his side. Looking forward to following along your journey and sending positive thoughts along the way.
What a wonderful story (of course not the actual story is wonderful, but hopefully you know what I mean!)… your husband sounds like a wonderful brave man. I feel fortunate that I haven’t had anyone close to me with cancer (although I have had my fair share of other medical issues). Keep fighting the good fight… love your words!
Hello Tara
. I need to stand beside you and let you rub off on me. No one close to you with cancer?!!! Ohhhh you lucky dog. The luckiest dog evvvha. Thanks for your incredibly awesome comment.
Nice to see you again
Big love
Lynne
I love your courage and spunk. You said it! you might want to look into
http://www.facebook.com/saferchemicals and spread the info. Its American, but same problems.
Wishing Micheal healing and hope and strength for you all
Jen and edgehill friends
Hi Jennifer !!
Glad you found me. It was so AWESOME to see you in the funky pet store. Holy smokes, is that place GREAT or what?!
Let me know when the Edgehill shin-dig is going on…..we would love to be there.
Lynne xx
Hi Lynne,
I met you on Twitter today
Love your website!
(I lost both my parents to cancer, My father’s was super rare. )
Find time to laugh, !
Your family and pics are lovely!
Stay strong! keep kicking cancer’s ass!
x Susan
Hi Susan
It was awesome to meet you today! I had such a laugh reading your tweets !
What kind of cancer did your Dad have?
Thx for sending the ‘stay strong’ vibes!!! It truly helps us to kick cancer in the big fat butt.
Cheers !!
Lynne xx
My Father had survived prostate cancer to come down with GIST gastro- intestinal stromal tumor.
A kind of sarcoma that around 8500 people a year get worldwide. It’s treated with a biological agent (pill form) called Gleevec.
My mom had Endometrial cancer.
I’ve met a lot of survivors who carry on to have long full lives.
Again I hope you stay strong (and read funny tweets daily!)
Sending love and healing vibes-Susanxox
You made my day! I just found your beautiful and INSPIRING spot this morning. I needed some beauty and motivation. I don’t battle cancer, but deal with Crohn’s, lupus and RA and a few other names that aggravate and then motivate. I plan to visit often and hope to hear more good news about your husband and be enchanted by the things you create–like your balls…sorry, I don’t have a brilliant “other name” for them, either! But thanks…you made me smile, tear up, and celebrate the fact that we are all STILL HERE.
Blessings to you and your husband…
Lulu,
Dallas
Dear Lulu
I must say, your note touched our hearts, so deeply. As soon as I saw it, I read it to Michael. You made OUR DAY !!
Sounds like you have a big plate FULL too…and I am happy to make a wee difference in your life.
A smile, a tear, we are all in this together… most importantly…you are right…WE ARE STILL HERE.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for writing. I am touched that you sent me a comment.
Big love to you,
Lynne xx
This had me transfixed. Could not look away or stop reading. I figure if you guys are brave enough to live it, I can be brave enough to read it. Your attitude is amazing and I admire your strength. I took care of my Dad for close to a year during his battle with lung cancer. He wanted to be at home. So I threw it all on the line and took care of him during it. Luckily I lived close by so I jockeyed back and forth when I could, then had my fam visit me at dad’s when I couldn’t. Best and worst time of my life. I finally got to know my dad only to lose him. Life sucks, cancer sucks harder but you guys are kicking it’s suckie ass.
Dear Kim
To tell you the truth, your comment gave me tears in my eyes. As a blogger, you know how it can be that someone leaves a comment…one that can just stick in your heart. That happened to me when you wrote. Thank you for that.
I know exactly what you mean about what it is like to go through cancer with your Dad. I did the same. It brings you so close, and then they are taken so far away. As my Dad used to say…”you can still call me after I pass away, it will just be a long distance call.” He also said that his last cheque will be to the funeral home, and he hopes it bounces. What a crazy goof ball he was.
I totally felt your words….’BEST AND WORST TIME OF MY LIFE’.
THANK YOU..for sharing that with me. I am so grateful that you wrote. So very, very grateful.
With a big hug, and a big heart….much love…
Lynne xx
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