Jeffrey’s Story

Site created on July 16, 2019

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Journal entry by Jeffrey Johnson

Bad Year?
You don’t need me to tell you 2020 is Annus Horribilis (drop an ‘n’ to get an even more accurate description). Plagues of wind, fire, flood, violence, deceit, disease. East Africa even had locusts! What’s next? Frogs? Will the waters turn to blood? Pharaoh, please, let we the people go.

But for me, not so much; I have been released, temporarily, at least. On the year’s first day, as two-faced Janus stood in my doorway, looking back lay the the drug that had stayed the cancer, but had scarred my lungs and seized my breath. Looking forward, my life came shining, from the west down to the east. 

Each day I felt better. Thank-you, prednisone, for the deeper understanding of the phrase, “on steroids.” Once those were tapered off, thank-you gefitinib for doing the work of holding the cancer at bay. By early March I no longer needed my caring angels. Sometime in April I sat up and realized, “Holy shit, I’m still alive!”

So, sorry y’all, for all the trouble you’re having, but for me, 2020 is a most excellent adventure. I think Winston Churchill gets credit for saying, “Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.” No kidding, Winnie. Winter surrendered to spring, granting me another birthday; spring warmed to summer and my tribe increased with another grandson. Now it’s golden fall. C’mon winter, I’ll relish your cold and damp.  

I have family around me every day. Plus, my new, happy family came for Hattie and Jonathan to introduce OttO to his grandpa. I just might go out and buy one of those T shirts that says, “Life is Good,” even if it does have a smiley face on it.

🙂

 
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