Cancer Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope

A short time ago, in a galaxy near, near, bye...

So this is my 2nd ever blog, but 1st for my very own blog page. My 1st blog was a guest post on my lovely girlfriend's (gf) blog, if you have not read it you can find it here.

I had a lot of very good positive feedback, so this has encouraged me to write some more... you only have yourself to blame people. Just to update people who don't know, I'm currently using this blog to share my experiences and thoughts about my ongoing battle with cancer. The phrase "Battle with Cancer" got me thinking, this sounds very cool, so I'm going to compare, or parody for a better word my battle with one of the best films of all time: Star Wars: Episode 4!

Now for anyone who has not seen Star Wars, what the heck have you been doing all your life? Stop reading this, and watch it now! Else the following contents of this blog will make very little sense to you, and contains spoilers. Also watch episodes V and VI, but don't bother with I, II and III, we will just pretend they were never made. Anyway I digress, as you will find I will probably do quite a lot in forthcoming blogs. As it said in my school report "Stephen is very easily distracted" and working in IT means I have the attention span of a gold fish. Squirrel!

So back to Star Wars. I originally thought that my cancer would be Darth Vader, and I would be Luke Skywalker. After further thought, I decided this would not work. The whole thing with the cancer being my father is just a bit weird! (I warned you about the spoilers people).

So if I'm not Luke, then who am I? I'm something much bigger than Luke, Obi-Wan, and before you ask, no I'm certainly not Leia. I'm something that's even bigger than "The Force"... I am The Galaxy. And you can't get much bigger than that.

As I'm The Galaxy the cancer wars is taking place inside me. The Dark Side is the cancer, members and ships of the empire, are the evil cancer cells with Vader being the most evil and commanding cell. The Death Star is the cancer growth.

But on my side I have The Rebels, these are the good cells in my body helping to fight the cancer, along with The Force, which is the binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power of chemotherapy. I will admit I got those last few big words from Wikipedia.

So how else do these Cancer Wars effect me? Well the part where Vader cuts off Luke's hand has a direct effect where I have cannula in my hand. Not really quite so dramatic as the use of my had has only been reduced to about 40%. So no cool replacement robotic hand for me!

Also I see the chemo, or the force going to work like the final scene in the film destroying The Death Star. With the help of the good cells Rebel Fighters and Luke and R2-D2 in the X-Wing putting the final blow into the heart of The Death Star / Growth.

The only difference in the outcome I want between my Cancer Wars and Star Wars, is the Death Star along with Darth Vader and all The Empire be completely destroyed. But if this is not the outcome, so be it... bring on Episode V and let battle commence again.

May the force be with you..... always.

Scratch that thought, if like I said the force is chemo, I don't want that to be with anyone, unless of course you really need it (which I hope you don't), in which case "May the force be with you... for the short time you need it"

Hmm, does not quite have the same ring to it, maybe I'll work on that.

Until next time...