The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-Robert Frost, 1923
I saw a patient today who is about six months out from her last treatment for a vicious lymphoma that darn near killed her before she even got a chance to take any chemotherapy and targeted therapy. As often is the case, she responded so rapidly to her first treatment it seemed as if she had been snatched from the bony arms of the Sepulchral Angel by the magic within these drugs. Now she stood before me as a splendid example of one who has faced cancer and, whether by intelligent design, blind luck or understated efficiency, has in all likelihood pounded it into oblivion. She now gardened again, and rode her bicycle, and basically enjoyed life as one with a bright disposition should enjoy it. I marveled at her recovery, stating, "You have come a long way."
"Yes," she smiled," but I have a long way to go."
"Well, then," I said, "the least I can do is to make your journey as pleasant as possible," and with that sent her on her way, a fleeting moment of peace in a world flourishing with taxing, sometimes violent reversals of fortune.
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One of my favorite poems, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was actually written in 1922 and was published in 1923 in Frost's New Hampshire volume.
Frost wrote this poem about winter in June, 1922 at his house in Shaftsbury, Vermont (now home to the "Robert Frost Stone House Museum"). Frost had been up the entire night writing the long poem "New Hampshire" and had finally finished when he realized morning had come. He went out to view the sunrise and suddenly got the idea for "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." He wrote the new poem in just a few minutes and later stated that "It was as if I'd had a hallucination."
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" was Frost's favorite of his own poems and Frost in a letter to Louis Untermeyer called it "my best bid for remembrance."
My favorite Frost poem is one that was a forward from the Stegner book "Crossing to Safety".
It's called I Could Give All to Time
The lines from the forward that enticed me were:
I could give all to Time except - except
What I myself have held. But why declare
the things forbidden that while the Customs slept
I have crossed to Safety with? For I am There
And what I would not part with I have kept.
It's love to ride my bicycle too. It's important to have something you love to do -- and to get yourself out there doing it!
Great to hear that your patient is flourishing. Hope that it all stays that way. Best of wishes.
My favorite part of my job at the American Cancer Society is interacting with cancer survivors and celebrating HOPE.
Though it must be hard to watch as people go through difficult treatments, it is rewarding to know that there are cures out there-a big part of it being the individual's outlook on their own diagnosis. I know I never forget the smiles on the faces of those that have faced cancer. :) Please pass one on to this brave patient and best wishes as she continues her battle.
"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure."
-Norman Vincent Peale
I wanted to complement and thank the maker of this blog for such an outstanding job. This is indeed a very interesting and well-thought out blog.
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More on this discovery is available at:
http://www.diindolylmethane.org/
http://www.activamune.com/