Parallel Journeys

I'm blessed and so very fortunate that my treatment has gone this well through nearly 4 weeks of the scheduled 5. I thank God that my body has handled this aggressive therapy so well. But I'm human, and must admit that these 5 weeks have seemed to last forever. I painfully (mental, not physical) count each day as it's posted on my daily schedule.

Back in 1999, for our 10th anniversary, we took the longest vacation we've ever taken. A 3-week journey to Africa for an 18-day safari. With most vacations, it seems they are over just after they begin. This adventure was different, as time stood still, pace of life reset to a slow roll and those 3 weeks felt like 3 months. As with my cancer treatment, your mind and body make adjustments to accommodate your current situation, and in these two cases, I'm certain the clock had slowed. We absolutely loved Africa, but it felt as though we would never leave.

In both of these journeys, we did a significant amount of research in preparation before making specific decisions. We were determined in each case to get a unique perspective along the journey - with cancer, it's been our positive approach and complete submission to God to get through it. In Africa, we soaked in the local culture by walking the streets of Nairobi (very dangerous), visited a Masai tribe in the Ngorongoro Valley and rented an airplane to get an aerial view of the wildlife of the Serengeti, the Great Migration of wildebeest and to circle the legendary Mt. Kilimanjaro. I'll never forget landing with zebra on the runway and taxiing up to be greeted by a welcoming committee of guards w/ M-16s. I can assure you that's in my logbook only once! Most visitors leave the continent without these experiences, but these made our adventure in Africa much more enriching.

Once the safari began, we were joined by 15 others and our tour guides. Like going through cancer with all of you supporting me, there is comfort in doing this together as a group. But did the group size appear as a "buffet" to the lions, leopards and cheetahs that we would see each day? Hmmm, don't be the slowest! There is nothing more majestic than seeing these creatures in their natural environment, but having them 10' from your open air vehicle reminds you of the danger that exists at all times. At night, we would sleep among them, protected by electrical wire and armed sentries - peaceful, but still dangerous. Like going through life feeling safe and secure until cancer appears.

How does one compare cancer treatment to a epic once-in-a-lifetime vacation? You don't. This is no pleasure cruise, and many struggle mightily to get through it, but I've found parallels between the two that have made me stronger and wiser as I continue forward. It might be a simple mind game that I continue to play, but it reminds me to draw on past experiences to remain upbeat and positive as I meet cancer head on.