Fun Monday #7

Thanks for coming back for more Fun Monday. For anyone wanting to read "How I Met the Smalltown Fire Department" (better known as my most embarrassing moment), that was referred to in the last FM, look here.

Robin, the penseive one has asked us to share words of inspiration.

When I first read the assignment, I was a little.....blank. One of those down times. There are the old tried and true, "one day at a time," "think positive," "I am not adverse to miracles" (and now you appreciate the dark side of an oncologist's life; yeah, that's about as inspirational as it gets on the bad days).

Perhaps, this doesn't even fall under the realm of inspirational, but for me, knowing where I picked up the phrase, it does. My inspirational phrase is: "Just keep on keepin' on." So often that is so right, and since I learned that phrase it has become a mantra for me. I am surprised when I hear patients say it back to me, knowing that they probably picked it up from me (a few of them even preface it with "as you always say, 'Jus' keep on keepin' on'." Right!)

I learned the phrase from a patient. Metastatic cancer had been diagnosed 5 years previously. The odds of this patient being alive at the 5 year mark was less than 1 percent. The patient had initially participated in a clinical trial where a portion of the tumor was taken and used to make a vaccine. About two weeks after the first dose of vaccine, spinal cord compression was diagnosed, and because of "progressive disease"the patient was taken off protocol (two weeks after a vaccination really isn't enough time for the vaccine to have an effect, especially when one is looking for an anti-tumor effect). The patient received radiation therapy, but was left paraplegic despite standard treatments with no sensation or strength in both legs. After failing standard chemotherapy (poor tolerance and progressive disease), the patient was placed on a drug called Iressa. Iressa was taken off the market after review of studies suggested that it did not provide the survival benefit that was initially thought. However, for this patient, the cancer slowly responded.

My nerd/geek like persona was fascinated. The fact that this patient was deemed to have progressive disease after one dose of the vaccine was unfair -- it happened far before one could anticipate there would be a significant immune response to the vaccine. I wondered if the combination of the vaccine followed by the Iressa was the key. I called the study coordinator -- he also seemed interested; thought there might be something to it, but I wander way beyond the realm of most of FM readers. These are the clinical observations that sometimes lead to further study; however, sometimes, what works for one person is unique to that person. The body is a very complex entity -- job security for the scientists. Was this a miracle? Perhaps. As I wrote, I am not adverse to miracles.

This patient was what I consider early middle age when the disease was diagnosed. Because there was no immediate family for support, the patient was residing in a nursing home. When I asked about the cancer journey and the loss of independence, the response was "I just keep on keepin' on; I'll keep on as long as God wants me here." Sometimes, the phrase felt like a eulogy at the end of each visit, "Let's just keep on keepin' on." With time, that became a inspiration for me.

So, although the words "Just keep on keepin' on" may not seem very inspirational on the surface, for me they are inspirational. I know....way more than you probably wanted to know, and a bad foray into the land of cancer and cancer treatment, but....well...that's me. Otherwise, my inspirational quote of the day would be something like, "bark, bark, bark."

Just' keep on keepin' on, OK? We never know where I road might lead.

Peace. (You didn't think I would get through a whole post without somehow getting a dog in there a time or two, did you?)

Now, go visit the others participating in FM.

Janet, From the Planet of Janet
Swampwitch, Anecdotes, Antidotes & Anodes
Lisa, Lisa's Chaos
Jo, This is Jo Beaufoix...
Patience, Patience-Please
ChrisB, Ms Cellania
Ellen, The Happy Wonderer
Kaytabug, Lady K
Swampangel65, A Florida Journal
Mariposa, Mariposa's Tales
AOJ & The Lurchers
Carrie, Carrie & the Koehmstedts
Lisa, The Food Snob
Janjanmom, All in a Day's Work
Jan, The Prytz Family
Karina, Candid Karina
Celeste, Ragracers
Sandy, Myanderings
Alison, RDH Mom
Jenn, Simply Jenn
Pamela, The Dust Will Wait
Alix, DC Days
Deb, Deb's Buzz (One Crazy Stitcher)
Molly, Return of the White Robin
Junebug, God Put a Smile on My Face
Kim, Rainy Day Diamonds
Peculiar, How Do We Get There From Here ** FIRST FUN MONDAY! :)
Jenn V., Jenn's Inklings
Joy T., A Spot of T
Nikki, My Husband Calls Me Weird
Rotten Correspondent, Confessions of a Rotten Correspondent
Sauntering Soul
Jientje, Heaven in Belgium
Tiggerlane, The Neophyte Blogger
Beth, The First of Six
Rose, Rose's Garden ** FIRST FUN MONDAY, new blogger & Karina's mom! :)
Hootin' Anni, Hootin' Anni's
Melanie, Our Happy Happenings
Sayre, SayreSmiles
Jenn, Jenn and the City (FIRST FUN MONDAY!!)
Nutso, House of the Purple Worms

ADDED SUNDAY @ 7:30 p.m. EST

Katie (Kitten), Kitten's Homeschool
Faye, Summit Musings

Hulagirlatheart, Growing Older but Not Up
Kim & Randy, Nekkid Lizard Adventures