What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
A tweet on Twitter today got me thinking: I used to be a lot of fun.
I was always serious in my own way, but I was also the one who was always curious and game to do something. Go to Napa. Seek out that new, hot restaurant. Fly. Hike. Travel. Entertain. I never wanted to sit still.
Between cancer, surgery, house floods and business betrayal, fun has simply not been part of my repertoire for the last several years.
I want to laugh and explore. I want to forget about cancer, for an hour, a day, a month. I want to feel light and full of energy. I want to feel possibility and joy back in my life!
I want to slow down enough to feel. To not think. I want to be in love with life, with MY LIFE, again.
I want to feel light. Unencumbered, yet totally connected. I want to trade the trappings of the perfect suburban life for some adventure. I want to trade home maintenance for being homeless; worry for curiosity; disaffection for connection.
“We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” -Joseph Campbell
Chanel went to her new home last weekend. It will take some time for everyone to adjust. For me, I find myself without the responsibility of another living soul for the first time in 35 years.
And much to my surprise, it is positively liberating.
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Ok. I am confident I’ll make a safe landing. (Sort of!). Things to be done:
List House: This should be done this week. I’m waiting on an appraisal; the (minor) repairs should be done in the next several days; I need to buy a warranty that can be transferred to the new owner. I am listing on Zillow, and plan to cooperate with the local realtors. Everything that I don’t give away can go into storage. I hope one of the local wine stores will buy whatever is left of my wine cellar.
Princess Chanel: Plans are to send her to her new home next weekend. I want to spend as much time with her this week as I can. She is my only family. I will miss her, but this is a good move for her. She needs friends and more activity than I’m currently providing. And she prefers comfort over adventure.
Health on the Road: This is going to be challenging but it is an absolute priority. As part of my own anticancer lifestyle, I’m a flexitarian (mostly vegetarian with some fish and occasional chicken) who cares about the source of my food (otherwise, adventuresome and a total foodie). I don’t do fast food.
The routine I’ve set up is geared towards health. I typically have a matcha latte with almond milk (for all the health benefits of matcha) in the morning and try to get some turmeric into my diet daily. I also meditate and do some basic yoga. I think the key will be to set up a health-first schedule, and stick with it!
I also plan to try to stay somewhere with a kitchen. I love to cook and this gives me control over what goes into my body. (With cancer, you become very aware of such things!). And as a bonus, it will give me a chance to check out the local farmer’s markets.
Oncology Visits: I’ll get blood work done before I leave (please let it be ok because there’s no turning back on #CancerRoadTrip!) and I’ll talk to my oncologist about getting blood tests on the road. If I can’t, oh well. I’m sick of living in 6 month increments anyway! If I feel the tumors growing again, I’ll figure out what to do at that point.
The medical care in Reno/Tahoe is fairly middle of the road. If my cancer transforms, or comes raging back again, I will go to an area with outstanding lymphoma care and transfer my health insurance to that location. Please let me have a bit more time in remission!
I also need to take along some asthma meds. I order them through the Canadian pharmacy (for about $60 versus over $300 through my health insurance!) and they deliver anywhere. The problem will be one of timing since it can take weeks before it ships, but a post office drop box can solve that. I’ll probably need one for other mail anyway.
Camera: I think I’ve decided on a GoPro to start. I’m not an avid photographer (yet) and I think the reality of the GoPro film experience should work well for #CancerRoadTrip. Did you know that you can mount you GoPro on a drone! Too cool! Now I need to research drones!
Layered Clothing: Once I leave, I’m officially #HomelessWithCancer, so I need to have a fairly flexible wardrobe. If I go to Australia/NewZealand after Hawaii, I’ll need winter clothes. How to pack for so many eventualities? Or do I just stay in the same hemisphere for at least 6 months?
Electronics: My MacBook Air is obviously coming with me, as is my phone. I am setting up a cloud based backup for all my data. I’m going to have to look into sim cards when traveling overseas for affordable cell coverage. Do I keep my US plan? Questions abound.
Travel Purse and Computer Bag: While I have tons of handbags (part of my external obesity is I’m a bit of a leather junky), I want something with RFID protection and something sturdy. Also something that can really get knocked around a bit. I think I’ve decided on a Travelon. I’ll also need a small carryon bag where I can put my computer, camera and some basic items. My current luggage is on it’s last legs, and I want to put some serious thought into what I buy. I need as much space and organization as possible.
Vaccinations: This one makes me a bit nervous. I am very hesitant to put anything foreign in my body. Depending on the vaccination requirements and my health, this may or may not be a limiting factor. I can get vaccines done in Hawaii once I figure out my next step.
Travel Insurance: A necessity. Stay tuned as I check this out. I’ll share my findings.
Legal and Financial: In addition to settling legal matters, I need to get a privacy policy put together for the site (per the terms one of my affiliate relationships) and set up basic book keeping accounts (ugh!). I also want to coordinate my credit cards to max out my travel benefits. Once I reveled in such details. These days, after chemo et al, my mind doesn’t work in a linear fashion and I find this endlessly tedious. But when the going gets tough…I’ll figure it out.
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
I wake up many mornings overwhelmed by everything that is going on. By Chanel’s imminent departure; by the legal situation; by the sale of my house.
Deep Breath.
And then it occurred to me. As usual, everything I needed to learn, I learned flying. (Some people learned in kindergarten; I was a slow learner.)
If I would pause and think for a moment, I would realize that this was just another landing. And I know how to land.
When I was flying, I had a landing checklist that I followed faithfully: UFFSTALL
Undercarriage (Putting the gear down is highly recommended)
Flaps (Short field? No problem. This plane has serious flaps!)
F (This F was for emphasis: You f*$%*$g stall, you die. Now onto airspeed which will prevent me from stalling on approach.)
Speed (A critical component for obvious reasons)
Trim (Make your life a bit easier)
Attitude/Altitude (This goes to overall awareness of the plane and it’s positioning in the sky and vis a vis the runway)
Look Out! (Don’t bury your head in the cockpit! Remain aware of your surroundings like the power plane on final trying to cut you off!)
Land (Self Explanatory)
Any landing you walk away from is a good one. -Pithy Pilot Sayings
Deep breath. It’s all going to work out. I just need to keep my eyes out of the cockpit, look out and land. The rest is set.
I remember landing one day. I was in my early forties at the time. I was getting the plane positioned on final at Minden, coming in nicely, even with a “bit” of crosswind. I always fly more by feel and touch than instrument, but on final I am always checking my instruments, particularly my airspeed, as the plane descends.
Landing is always a time of intense concentration. There are no go-arounds in a sailplane. I was looking out at the horizon as the runway moved ever closer. I glanced at my instruments, but my eyes wouldn’t refocus that quickly. I couldn’t read the information I needed!
No sweat. Just keep you eyes on the horizon and fly the plane.
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Hawaii is my first stop for a variety of reasons. One, is simply to take care of myself; to shed the stress of the last several months in a place of incredible beauty. But beyond that, there is a fascinating history of holistic mind/body healing in Hawaii dating back to roughly 700 AD. It’s a cultural and spiritual tradition that combines elements of many eastern and traditional medicines, using energy, sound, food, psychology, herbs and movement to heal.
Hawaiian healers are known as “Kahuna” which means “Keeper of the Secret”, referring to the secret medical knowledge that was passed from one Kahuna to another, generation after generation.
The noun Kahuna extends its meaning beyond medicine. It generally refers to someone who has deep expertise in a given area for example, the best surfer on the beach might be referred to as “kahuna nui he’e nalu,” the “principal master surfer.”
In medical circles, Kahuna are wise men/women or shaman. They have no formal degree. Their training is one on one, from a master who imparts their knowledge to the student. This traditional Hawaiian medical system is a very sophisticated one with specialties in Earth Medicine, Psychosocial Medicine, Manual Medicine, Movement and Marshall arts; Music and Arts; Nutrition and Energy.
The Hawaiian word for health is ola (life). Without health,there is no life. Hawaiians view the body, mind and spirit as one. The body cannot be healed without healing the spirit.
This indigenous approach to healing faced it’s first cultural hurdle with the discovery of the Hawaiian islands by Captain James Cook. Cook visited Hawaii on two occasions. First on January 18, 1778, the English explorer sailed past the island of Oahu. Two days later, he landed on the island of Kauai. He named the island the Sandwich Islands in honor of the earl of Sandwich who was one of his patrons.
The European use of iron and the “technology” of the 18th century west had an oversized impact on the Hawaiians. It is suspected that the Hawaiians attached religious significance to Cook, welcoming he and his men as gods. But on Cook’s subsequent visit int 1779,when one of the crew members died, their humanity (and subsequent exploitation of the Hawaiian’s good will) became apparent.
Captain James Cook’s attempted kidnapping of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the ruling chief of the island of Hawaii and the decision to hold him in exchange for a stolen boat led to Cook’s death. He was killed on February 14, 1779.
The Cook explorations would have a major impact on the geographic knowledge of the times, as well as on the Hawaiian islands where the introduction of western thought would dramatically change the culture. Missionaries outlawed the ancient medical teachings in 1820 and diseases such as small pox were introduced to the island, greatly reducing population from about 800,000+ to 180,0000 by the early 1800’s.
Today in Hawaii, elements of traditional medicine remain. Given the influx of people, practices and ideas from Asia, eastern modalities such as acupuncture and tai chi have become part of the healing landscape. And of course, the incredible beauty of the islands themselves offer restoration though nature.
This alone would be more than enough for me to head to Hawaii! But in addition, it is said that the Hawaiian Islands are the Chakra system of the planet. Each of the seven main islands represents and vibrates at a different chakra energy.
The island of Hawaii is associated with the Root Chakra which represents the earth element. The second (Sacral) Chakra is said to be on Maui. The third (Solar Plexus) is Lanai. Molokai is considered the Heart Chakra and Oahu is the Throat Chakra. The Third Eye is Kauai which is associated with our ability to find clear intuition and to follow our dreams. The Crown Chakra – Niihau Niihau – is actually a private island.
Kauai will be my first stop. It is peaceful, and I need some peace. I am terrified that the stress of the last several months is impacting my health, and I need to devote myself to better fitness and stress management. I need to devote myself to me. And Hawaii, with its beauty and traditions, is a good place to start.
One of the contributors to Anti-Cancer Club, Khevin Barnes, spent a year in a Zen Buddhist temple on Oahu. He’s putting me in touch with some people and fellow blogger Eileen Rosenbloom will be on Kauai. Through Twitter, I also have some Hawaii cancer connections, and through MeetUp I am already looking at beach based meditation get togethers.
The Chakra associated with Kauai, the Third Eye, is a fitting for the first stop of this journey. On Kauai, there is also a Hindu monestary that intrigues me for architectural reasons, and probably some spiritual ones as well. Because my healing journey knows no limits or bounds. Through this adventure I am finding my voice. Through some reflection starting on Kauai, may I find some clarity.
What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Once upon a time, decades ago, I graduated from Wharton. I worked in the private placement market in New York–the smallest deal amount was a quarter of a billion (that was real money in those days); I worked on the first billion dollar leveraged buy-out (Congoleum).
I rather got Gordon Gecko. After all, I moved in that amoral world of money and finance. There was no room for feeling or care. Numbers, numbers, numbers. No room for error. No need for human contemplation.
I’ve been away from the corporate world for a long time now, but it seems nothing much has changed. The numbers have gotten bigger. The leverage greater. I wonder if it isn’t all primed to blow like the building in my dream last night.
If it is, it’s a good time to sell the house. If it isn’t, oh well! I’ve never been very good at tactical decisions. Strategic movements and trends are more my forte. I listened to an interview with Jim Rogers the other day.What an interesting life he has led. His aw shucks southern drawl may mask a brilliant mind to those not in the know, but his reputation precedes him. I admire him. If you don’t know who Jim Rogers is, here is the interview (Jim Rogers comes in at 13:22):
Jim Rogers has had two amazing #RoadTrips. One around the world on his motorcycle: Investment Biker: Around the World with Jim Rogers; the other around the world in a bit more comfort via automobile. An adventurer, in capital markets and in life.
“Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives.” ~William Dement
I wake up terrified. A heaviness sits on my chest. I feel paralyzed.
In the dream, a team of men in black run through a building laying small charges along the floor, then splashing everything with some sort of flammable liquid. The building is empty. Concrete floors and metal furniture.
I see this happening yet I am at an outdoor cafe with friends. One of them had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and she was sitting, topless, enjoying the sun. She swung her beautiful long hair from side to side. I clamored out of my seat. I had to go. I had to leave.
I collected my things in a brown paper bag and I started walking away. I left behind a blue and white chinese porcelain pot that I just love. I couldn’t carry it with me. I could just see it sitting there, one of my favorite possessions, and I had to leave it. I crossed the street, walked along side of the stone building and quickly turned the corner.
I walked more quickly; I ran; another block and another, putting buildings between me and the coming explosion. When the building blew, I wanted to avoid the debris that would fly through the air.
But nothing happened.
We were expected to go back to work tomorrow in the building that was primed to blow.
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What is #CancerRoadTrip and how did it come to be? Read this post to get the backstory!
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
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CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
As you read my story, you may want to start at the beginning to "grok" how CancerRoadTrip came to be. You can click here to start at the end (which is actually the beginning) and read forward! The posts are chronological, with the most recent posts appearing on the front page.
List House: This should be done this week. I’m waiting on an appraisal; the (minor) repairs should be done in the next several days; I need to buy a warranty that can be transferred to the new owner. I am listing on Zillow, and plan to cooperate with the local realtors. Everything that I don’t give away can go into storage. I hope one of the local wine stores will buy whatever is left of my wine cellar.
I want to spend as much time with her this week as I can. She is my only family. I will miss her, but this is a good move for her. She needs friends and more activity than I’m currently providing. And she prefers comfort over adventure.
vegetarian with some fish and occasional chicken) who cares about the source of my food (otherwise, adventuresome and a total foodie). I don’t do fast food.
GoPro to start. I’m not an avid photographer (yet) and I think the reality of the 
is obviously coming with me, as is my 
. I am setting up a cloud based backup for all my data. I’m going to have to look into sim cards when traveling overseas for affordable cell coverage. Do I keep my US plan? Questions abound.
I want something with RFID protection and something sturdy. Also something that can really get knocked around a bit. I think I’ve decided on a 
. I’ll also need a small carryon bag where I can put my computer, camera and some basic items. My current luggage is on it’s last legs, and I want to put some serious thought into what I buy. I need as much space and organization as possible.
This indigenous approach to healing faced it’s first cultural hurdle with the discovery of the Hawaiian islands by Captain James Cook. Cook visited Hawaii on two occasions. First on January 18, 1778, the English explorer sailed past the island of Oahu. Two days later, he landed on the island of Kauai. He named the island the Sandwich Islands in honor of the earl of Sandwich who was one of his patrons.
Jim Rogers has had two amazing #RoadTrips. One around the world on his motorcycle: 
; the other around the world in a bit more comfort via automobile. An adventurer, in capital markets and in life.
