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Email your thoughts to: Wayland@waymoorehealth.org

2025-11-01

I continue to work at trying to improve my immune system by keeping down my stress by doing a periodic check. I’ll ask myself, do I have tensed up muscles? I find frequently that they are tensed up no matter if I’m feeling negative or positive. What I have found is there can be a mild tension simply thinking. I tend to tense up when I get really focused on something, even really positive/fun things. Trying to “let go” and think of nothing isn’t easy. Simply focusing on the in and out of the breath seems to help. No matter what the situation, I find the more I check, the easier it becomes to relax. No wonder the modern lifestyle is not in sync with what our bodies have developed to doing over eons. It seems that it has been decades of my trying to fully relax. But now, finally, it seems to be bearing fruit. Before sleeping, there are times when laying on my back I can relax enough to feel like I’m floating on water. Hopefully I’m getting sufficient stress reduction to truly help strengthen my immune system.

And there are a couple of specific things that can also help reduce stress. The contra dance gives a wonderful mental diversion while also providing great physical exercise. Some music seems to resonate with the body. Also is getting out in nature. The sounds of nature heard away from “civilization” also resonate with the body. In early October Cynthia and I spent four days bicycling in Lynchburg and New River State Park in early October. Absolutely wonderful. And to my way of thinking, both of these activities are related to each other in that the person is removed from the normal modern lifestyle and more in tune with how our bodies have evolved over millennium.

Dancing, like walking or bicycling out in nature, distracts from tensing up. I’m moving, instead of static tension, and it includes positive feelings. Endorphins without drugs. All of this leads to the need to make sure I put in time to relax and step back from focusing. In short, get to a place where my younger son doesn’t say I’m working to be an overachiever. It also reinforces what I have started doing, which is to be more assertive in stepping back from negative situation as I cannot change others, but I can take care of myself by “ignoring” negative and emphasizing the positive.

I’ve also reflected on the joy of contra dance versus other types of dancing. There is a synchronicity of the music with the body. Also there is less “structure” which makes for a more free flowing of the mind and body. It is so much easier to share positive energy with others. And all of this with the opportunity to be part of a positive team.

I’ve also become to realize that I have been analyzing health from many specific and definitive aspects, i.e. many specific pieces. The many specific aspects to analyze stress, sleep, aspects that affect the immune system. But there is also any way to look at health in a higher overview. That is to appreciate the positive side while also being realistic about the negative and neutral aspects of things. Just reflecting happiness and fun and laughter with others is good medicine.

2025-09-25

During the past week I have done a little more looking at DLBCL, including Cleveland Clinic’s information. Doing that reinforced my current calm feeling.  I’m not showing any symptoms of that cancer recurring. But I do believe the CT scan did give good information to catch a potential relapse. 

I also reflected about the way I felt with the five stages of grief of the first cancer and the absence of the grief learning of the second cancer which was subsequently was followed by the mild PTSD and later post-traumatic growth. Currently, the mild PTSD-PTG effects seem to be waning. I have been feeling this quite surprisingly positive. In the past week, I have been feeling more energized than the past several months in getting little and big things done. For some reason I felt the stress of preparing for and giving the presentation at the Mid-Atlantic RPM has been positive. So, I started looking at hormetic stress which led me to discover “eustress”. The word was reported to be introduced by endocrinologist Hans Selye in 1976. It means “beneficial stress”-either psychological, physical or biochemical/radiological. It is a type of positive stress that can motivate and enhance performance, often associated with feelings of excitement and fulfillment and occurs when challenges are perceived as manageable and can lead to personal growth and improve well-being. The past week has felt as if there’s a bit of a fog that has been lifted. 

I continue to feel like both the researcher and the subject of the research as I go through this cancer stuff.🥳🙃🙈🙉🙊🤪🤗

2025-09-20

Thursday and Friday I began looking at the “what if” I am dealing with a relapse? On one hand the statistics show not so great numbers because of age and relapse itself has poorer outcomes. On the other hand, I have been in remission for a while, I’m in good shape physically and mentally AND I don’t feel any symptoms. One thought I had is possibly my immune system was down in the spring and possibly it has been working a beating back the relapse and it’s not yet finished. Another view is there is more I can do to keep down the stress. In a way, I don’t mind waiting until the November 18th PET scan as it gives me time to exercise strengthening the immune system like I did for the prostate cancer. The CT scan earlier this week showed three new or slightly larger items, the PET scan is designed to show if it is cancer and, if so, the degree or stage. I have already started talking to my cells, continue to work on improving sleep and Friday I attended my first Tai Chi session.

At the dance last night, Cynthia told Rob and I told Michelle, Ed, Virginia and Jeremy that the CT scan on Wednesday said it was prudent for me to get the PET scan. I’ve also recognized, when I’m interacting with some other operators at the enjoyable activity of model railroad operations, to “step away” when certain other participants present situations that would be stressful. Overall, when possible, stand back from the current negative environment.

2025-09-18

This past weekend, Dan and I gave back-to-back clinics at the Mid-Atlantic RPM. I covered possible things to model in connection with the right-of-way and Dan spoke about his switching experiences with CSX service to the industrial area around the Richmond airport. It was stressful for both of us, well received and we both felt good doing it.

Yesterday I was at Sentara, Martha Jefferson Hospital for my CT scan. I learned that Kathy, who had photographed me on the scanner this past December, has been promoted. I got an opportunity to introduce my website to a number of people and at the same time explain to them why I sometimes sign emails “#5  aka Wayland”. This comes from the 1986 movie “Short Circuit” in which the fifth military robot is struck by lightning and becomes alive and begins his search for “input”.  The chemo was my lightning strike and my inner five-year-old child became more alive. 

I also learned that remission means where there are no signs or symptoms of cancer. It does not mean the cancer has been cured. The scan revealed three nodes which is barely reached into the realm of possible return of the lymphoma, or they may be sign of inflammation. Consequently, I have scheduled a PET scan for November 18 to try to determine if this is possibly a low grade but tenacious lymphoma. The visit with Dr. Romano ended with him saying “Keep dancing”.

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2025-09-01

This past Saturday night we went to what was originally billed as a benefit contra dance for a cancer patient. Apparently, she was diagnosed soon after the father of her children took the children, and she did not know where they were. On Friday, when I went to confirm the address for the church where the dance was being held, it surprised me to find out that she had died a few days before. The caller confirmed the dance was still going to be held but was then going to be a memorial dance. It was a small group of about two dozen people, and I did pretty good at being positive. I already had the “I DANCE for HEALTH & FUN” blank name tag buttons in the dance bag but didn’t pull them out. The event emphasized my ongoing gratitude for life.

Finally got my notes together and posting them from reading the book IKIGAI.

2025-08-25

Wednesday Ed visited and at dinner Cynthia told him one aspect of my second cancer, during the low of 2021-2022. She said that I did not recognize what a potato was which truly worried her to see how cognitively impaired I was. What I’m making of these comments/feelings from the past couple of weeks is how bad off I was during the years of the “living-death” lymphoma. Could I now be having a touch of “macho” by holding down much that has affected me, trying to make sure that I am not overdoing feeling sorry for myself. Apparently, I have been through a very traumatic time and it’s taking some time to understand that. Having occasions of being reminded of “how low for so long” is helping me to give my present feelings a truer perspective.

On Thursday I received the book THE CASE FOR HOPE, by Jennifer Laguzza Dickenson and read it in less than a day. The 143 well written pages speak of hope and actions she took to assist the surgery, chemo and radiation for defeating a very deadly and fast growing, stage 4, brain cancer [glioblastoma]. She speaks of a very stressed work life prior to diagnoses. She changed to empowering herself toward physical healing, emotional support, and spiritual wisdom. Today she speaks to others about healing, mindfulness, and spiritual growth though her website, public speaking and this book. She does an excellent job of describing the world we are living in which is not in concert with our bodies and minds. The book includes two dozen pages of appendices devoted to food and a little over two dozen recommended references. There is also a significant amount of fact-based information in the 71 end notes from some four dozen different sources from which she is referencing. This is in addition to confirmation of what I have learned with regard to my life experiences. What was new to me is that when I am talking to my cells, that is called visualization.

Saturday night’s contra dance included two significant interactions and a surprise. One was with a person who is exceptionally stressed at work due to their being “different” and that they had read the book THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE several times. I was able to reference them to the notes posted on the website pertaining to stress. Other person surprised me by introducing themselves with “Do you know why you are an inspiration to me?” They went onto say that they were impressed how I have dealt with the two cancers and how that helped to inspire themselves and raise their spirit. It is good to get feedback and that continuing the website is available to help others, as well as giving me an opportunity to continue growing myself. The surprise was that at the end of announcements and crediting the dance volunteers that Robert included me as “being here”.

On Sunday someone asked about my eating habits. That led me to think about what I am looking for and also what to avoid. This thinking has led to consider changing the summary of the website to something along the lines of how I have learned from the cancers that my body is not made for some of the physical and mental assaults of modern day living that I have been giving it. It re-emphasizes my desire to role model “BE ALL YOU WERE MEANT TO BE”.

2025-08-19

Put changes into BUMPS, including adding OTHER SIDE OF BUMPS.

2025-08-18

Two more little hits of mild PTSD. Yesterday, when having lunch with a friend, Brad, he said: “three years ago I wasn’t sure that I would be able to have lunch with you again, you were in such bad shape.” Today I had my annual physical and I was relating to the doctor how it wasn’t easy to be objective about how I felt. I told him in the fall of 2023 I was told no more detectable cancer and that the mild PTSD that had started December 2023. This segued to the “high” feeling of the post traumatic growth through 2024, and since this spring was now starting to decline. With the variation it is not easy to determine what is the “norm”. The doctor said I had been through a very traumatic time so my feelings were understanable.

2025-08-16

On August 1 the interview that Cynthia and I had with NPR/WVTF reporter, Craig Wright, was aired: https://www.wvtf.org/news/2025-08-01/rx-from-doctor-to-cancer-survivor-keep-dancing. Several friends mentioned hearing it at the time.

Also continued more in-depth reading of THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE; Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, see References. The 5-year-old in me just keeps digging deeper looking for INPUT.

Looking at upcoming dance weekends I’m seeing wisdom in limiting the amount of time, energy and money to invest in going to distant dance weekends…possibly as a result of partial “burnout” from the heavy dancing in April. At the same time I’m looking at and learning more of the science the mind-body for health.

On August 13 I received an email from the Radical Remission Project with a link to their Stories That Heal podcasts: https://radicalremissionpodcast.podbean.com/. I listened to three of them looking for additional learning opportunities.

1 Natalie Ledesma, Oncology Nutritionist, website: https://natalieledesma.com/

2 Jennifer Dickenson-Grade 4 Gliobastoma Thriver, lawyer, website: https://jenniferdickenson.com/

3 Avinoam Lerner-Cancer Trauma and Recovery Specialist, hypnotist, website: https://www.avinoamlerner.com/

Natalie’s podcast reflected what I had learned principally from my RD wife, Cynthia. Both Jennifer and Avinoam had started on their learning about the mind-body in relation to cancer before hearing of the book RADICAL REMISSION. They were formulating the aspect of stress and the body’s immune system response and had established businesses that fit in with the RADICAL REMISSION factors. A large part of Jennifer’s stress was from her work as an outgrowth of early childhood. Avinoam’s was similar with him recounting a client’s early childhood view of themselves. One significant item was learning of psychoneuroimmunology, a newer field [1970’s] of study that looks at the relationship between your central nervous system and immune system: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoneuroimmunology Of interest, out of the first listed group of 40 podcasts, there were only three presented by men. Could this be a difference of the genders? I doubt that is reflected in the number of cancer diagnoses for females versus men. Is it harder for a male to connect with mind-body/lifestyle in relation to health?

Cynthia sent me a link to a Charlottesville yoga instructor, Barb Germershausen, simplyYOGA. She did a wonderful job of presenting her cancer story at The Moth Story Slam: https://www.simplyyogacville.com/about-1. What I appreciated so much is the kindred idea of getting something positive out of something that appears so heavily negative. It encompasses GRATITUDE.

And finally, last night was a wonderful Rivanna dance. It was so enjoyable even when I got hit with a bit of the mild PTSD…the dance venue reminded me of the time before the Celebrate Crushing Cancer dance….,I am still alive and able to enjoy the joy of the dance.

2025-07-26

I was again reminded of my “living death” feeling between 2020 and 2022. It was easy to remember feeling so weak that I was afraid of taking a walk for fear of falling and not being able to get up. But late last Saturday my sister-in-law said I looked really well, as compared to the time she saw that Cynthia had to cut my food to be able to eat. I had not remembered that. 

I call contra dance “good medicine”. I have added a chapter Where To Find A Contra Dance, which includes a brief summary of what ChatGPT had to say about contra dance.

2025-07-19

Several weeks ago I added the areas/chapters on STRESS and SLEEP.

Spent time “refining/wording” the answers to two of Craig Wright’s questions: “when exactly you were introduced to the RADICAL REMISSION book in relation to your diagnosis and your recognizing the relationship with regard to the dancing.” The answers were read the book April, 2017, shortly after the prostate cancer diagnosis. The answer to the second was the realization between April and September, 2023, when I went looking for the answer to my question to myself, “if I had continued doing everything since the first cancer, why did I get this cancer?”. What I found was long-term stress negatively affects the immune system because of the body’s chronic activation of the flight/fight stress response. Seven of the RADICAL REMISSION factors are emotional and two are physical. Besides being a great physical activity, contradance provides significant beneficial effect for all seven of the emotional factors.

At the Rivanna dance last night, one of the five people who came down here to dance when they could have danced at Glen Echo left with friendly departing words to me about being a “dance machine”. Not bad for being 81 years young and missing part of my left foot!

2025-07-07

Attended Roanoke Railroader weekend, July 4-6.. Cynthia and I arrived early enough for the English Country dance in the afternoon. I thought it would be good to expand from contra dance to begin learning ECD, accepting that my energy level has decreased some. To me, it is more thinking whereas contra is more energizing. The weekend was really great. A few people picked up the blank “I CONTRA DANCE FOR HEALTH AND FUN” buttons [the sponsor had name buttons for all dancers unless they came in at the last minute]. I included with the buttons a sheet listing the eight “factors” that contra dance provides for mind-body healing. From time to time I would mention the “why” of the button. This is to clarify the healthy aspects of contra dance being more than just fun. I wore a mask the first two days but not on Sunday, have a little “hedge” against possible infection. A lot of people could still “see” me smiling even with the mask on. Skipped some dances to pace myself but did get to dance with a lot of the folks from both local and distant dances…nice mix.

Several months ago, Craig Wright from public radio, Radio IQ, had asked to interview me. He wanted to hear about my contra dance helping me in my cancer treatments. We did that two times as his equipment wasn’t quite right Saturday evening. Serendipity stepped in so Cynthia was able to be included in the Sunday afternoon interview. He said it would run about 3 1/2 minutes and should air in a couple of weeks.

I received the “new” book, RADICAL HOPE, by Kelly A. Turner, Ph.D. with Tracy White. Today I compared it to the RADICAL REMISSION, Kelly’s original book. It contains a tenth “factor”, Exercise. It also contains more examples of people who have utilized the ten factors and generous number of references. Tracy White used RADICAL REMISSION for her recurrent cervical cancer in 2016 and lived 2 1/2 years longer than initially predicted.

2025-06-29

Here it is, 3:15 am, and I went to bed about 1:10 am this morning after a wonderful contra dance last night on the east side of Richmond. I wasn’t that energized during yesterday but really came more alive during the dance. As a precaution, I wore a mask. Wearing a mask doesn’t bother me but I was feeling more cautious having only recently recovering from being low. Posting this now is a reflection of return of significant energy but with a “taste” of tempering, accepting that I am not as young as I used to be. While my emotional energy is up, I am aware that my body can handle only so much. And I failed to mention in my last post that my cold symptoms which began on Sunday, May 25, was followed by no desire to eat anything on Tuesday, 27, and in fact threw up juices with a 24-hr. weight loss of about 5 lbs. Apparently, the sub-conscience was still feeling the effect of the recent health dip. But last night’s dance truly brought joy and energy which I hope was fully shared with all the other dancers, band and caller because their being was so wonderful. I am so fortunate.

2025-06-27

All that dancing apparently wore me out. I got run down and a cold, so much so that even though we had paid for Dance Trance weekend in Lexington, KY, June 6-8, 2025, and had free housing, we did not go. Kinda drained physically and emotionally, and the mild PTSD was not present. Was subdued for the Rivanna/Greenwood dance June 20th. Finally, during this past week, I started feeling more return of normal energy. Along the way I have been delving deeper into both stress and sleep as an adjunct to the healing properties of contra dance. On June 25th, I attended the ZOOM Free Information Session for the RADICAL REMISSION four day in-person workshop sponsored by healthnavs.com. What new I got out of attending was that Harvard was doing follow-up evaluation of effectiveness of healthnavs.com coaching. But it also started me doing on-line searching of RADICAL REMISSION author Dr. Kelly Turner and found several podcasts and YouTube videos of Dr. Turner. I heard and watched a number of RADICAL REMISSION survivors and information on Dr. Turner’s background in counseling “Exploring Radical Remission with Dr. Kelly Turner, PhD”; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf1JTtd97x4, https://radicalremissionpodcast.podbean.com/, https://www.discover.hayhouse.com/radicalremission-docuseries-offer/. Listening to some of the survivors I could connect with their experiences, validating some of my feelings, and the mild PTSD appeared. The mild PTSD has the upside of reinforcing my feeling of gratitude and the gratitude outweighs the hurt feeling. Also, yesterday the host/reporter for WVTF called to confirm my willingness for a short interview at Roanoke Railroader dance weekend July 4-6. I’ll be talking about how seven of the nine factors in RADICAL REMISSION are satisfied by contra dance and contra dance has helped me through the cure and continued remission of my cancers.

2025-05-10

I danced 17 days between April 2 and May 4 [seven evenings of April 2nd through the 8th, weekend of April 11th – 13, April 14th, April 18th, April 19th, April 26th and May 2-4.].  Out of all of those, Whitewater Whirl was the most significant because it was so full of fun and laughter.  There was a time I got more into just silly giggles like a 5-year-old might have, and this was frequently reflected back.  It was thoroughly refreshing and wonderful; great that there were so many dancers who enjoyed the enthusiasm.  This was some really powerful medicine. I received a “middling” number of tips, totaling $14. It’s nice to have donations to help defray some of the costs relative to the name tag buttons but, moreover, gives a warm feeling that some people appreciate that the dance provides a healing factor as well as fun.

Today I received permission from Dr. Elissa Epel and Dr. Aric Prather to copy their material covering stress and sleep for use in the site. This supplements the “fair use” of copyright. More detailed information pertaining to stress and sleep is to be added shortly. I’m also anticipating a “adjustment” to the chapters to better reflect “lessons learned” at this time.

2025-04-17

Finished reading the book #WHATIS POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH?, by Miriam Akhtar. It was a good read and I could identify with all aspects of the main benefits of PDG, they being: 1 Personal strength, 2 Closer relationships, 3 Greater appreciation for life, 4 New possibilities, and 5 Spiritual development. She says: PTG is thought to involve the dismantling and rebuilding our internal world….The process starts with by tying to make sense of the trauma…..later on this rumination shifts into something more constructive as people find some meaning in the adversity and gravitate toward a place of acceptance about their changed world, gaining wisdom and well-being along the way…..Finding a way to regard the adversity as a challenge to rise to will help with the process of growth…..physical steps you can take to help you feel better…Healthy food and drink….Physical awareness and activity….Rest and sleep.

Spent Wednesday, March 26, recovering from our flight to Portugal and stayed at Cynthia’s brother’s place northwest of Lisbon. We did a lot of walking and looking at really old places and cathedrals and a day trip into Lisbon and walking along the beach with another couple who joined us on Friday. On April 1, Cynthia and I celebrated our 19th anniversary at a restaurant overlooking the ocean and the next day we were onto Ely, England for a week of dancing and touring the area around Ely. We missed the first dance of April 2 evening because our Uber driver initially took us to the wrong railroad station. Other than that, I made every evening, and some daytime dances through Tuesday, April 8. Both at the dances and on some of the excursions I presented this website. On one of the excursions, I lost my wallet that contained credit cards, cash, driver license, key to the car, the airport parking ticket and insurance cards for two days. This became a real test of learning to let go and accept that which I could not change….well almost because I did follow up to find out who the driver of the bus was, the number of the bus and when it would next be used and alerted others to look for the wallet in the area of the bus I had been sitting. On the second day of loss I met the bus, was told that it had been inspected and no wallet found. I asked if I could check myself and went to the area and looked hard over the edge of the seat and looking back at the following seat saw something low and pressed up against the inner wall of the bus. Went back to that seat and there was the wallet, about a half inch below the top of the seat but not below the bottom of the seat…boy did I dance!!

We returned to the US on Wednesday, April 9, enduring an exceptionally tight connection in Charlotte because there was not an available flight jetway for a wide-bodied plane available when we arrived. We arrived home about 1 am [6 am England time] Thursday, April 10. On Friday, April 11 we began our weekend Springforth Ball in Richmond, VA, Friday evening – Sunday afternoon. I danced all the evening dances, a couple of the Saturday afternoon dances and the Sunday waltz and contra dances.

During the weekend I introduced a number of people to this website. In explaining it to one person, they got a bit emotional. Seems they came up with the thought that they felt some guilt for not doing something when they learned there could have been a better alternative. This took me aback initially but then I shared with them: I am working to be in the present.  The past cannot be changed, and the future has not yet happened.  I can learn from the past so the future can be different, but I should not chastise myself in the present for what I did not know in the past but have now learned and can utilize in the present for the future.

Went to the contra dance in Verona Monday, April 14, and almost missed doing all the dances because I was busy introducing this site to another person who took a significant interest in it.

On Wednesday, April 16 saw the oncologist. There were some questions and discussion about how I was feeling/doing, and no problems were reported. He did some poking and prodding and looking for any swelling and found a small, roll-around lump on my lower right neck that Cynthia and I will check periodically. Initial report on blood tests showed no issues and a routine upper and lower CT scan got scheduled for mid-September. I mentioned that I talk to my cells and he asked how I did that? I wasn’t ready for that question so failed to clearly explain but do plan on posting that soon. Now for the Friday night contra in Greenwood and the Saturday night contra in Blacksburg.

2025-03-28

My mild PTSD caught up with me the night of Tuesday, Mar. 25, on our way from home to Portugal. During the flight I watched the movie AN ACCIDENTAL LIFE about a young noted female rock climber, Quinn Brett, who fell and broke her back on El Capitan. It covered her early climbing experiences and pieces of her love life, her severe frustrations with her new life and her uneven comeback. I compared this with my grandson’s, Nick, life who at age 5 was diagnosed with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy and at that time the prognosis he will live to age 20 and he is now 18. He has graduated from high school, “walking” for his diploma in his wheelchair. He is currently going to community college and has a good mind on him. I challenged him on knowing biology and he could very quickly tell me which of his chromosomes has the missing piece inherited from his mother. His father, Will my younger son, is sticking by him which is often an issue in families with DMD. There has been counseling for Nick and the family. It seemed that Nick’s story on fortitude and accepting life was stronger than of Quinn Brett. She had something and lost part of it. Nick didn’t have it in the first place AND this past Christmas his parents felt that the cure for Nick will not come in time as his physical condition continually weakens. Additionally, at the same time I started remembering the feeling/realization of how far down I was during the years of the undiagnosed “living-death” lymphoma, that has left a scar of mild PTSD and PTG. On that same flight I started reading the book #WHATIS POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH?, by Miriam Akhtar. Putting all this feeling together, the tears started flowing. So far, the PTG book has given me this one insight: the word hopelessness. During my undiagnosed “living-death” lymphoma it seemed like the only thing that kept me going was to put one foot in front of the other, slowly, carefully, unevenly, with the ongoing fear of falling, breaking a bone, and/or simply not having the strength to get back up. No wonder I feel so “flip-flop” being that low for years and now outdancing almost anyone of any age when the contra dance gets going! People are tired of hearing of my two cancers, I’m tired of sharing it, but the emotional scar is still there. I don’t want all of it to go away, it is a reminder of what I have been through and know that there are many people who also go through significant life “bumps”. It helps to remind me to push forward with telling my story that others may benefit, if they choose to do so, that no matter what happens, no matter what life’s “bumps” gives you that a rich, flourishing life contains down “bumps” without which one cannot see the UP and there are choices in life that when I have a half full glass I have the option and ability to add moore….opps more.

I had another significant “life bump”, well a couple and should put those in BACKSTORY and BUMPS Summary.

We are staying in an unusual to me house, open with a view and free of clutter.

2025-03-22

Last night I was asking people to try their smart phone on the QR code on the sign for the blank “I CONTRA DANCE for HEALTH & FUN” name buttons. With one fellow I commented on the craziness going on in Washington, DC, to which he responded, “Hold On”, “I voted the other way”. This led to my describing some of my background, always being the outsider, being picked on, a dozen schools before college and some other life “bumps”. I also stated that I’m sharing my story, and it is my story, and the reader is responsible to see if any of it helps them as they are the one responsible for their being, that I am not trying to impose on them my life. The discussion ended with us remaining friends, looking at issues, not differences from different viewpoints. It is rewarding to take the chance to express and see there is more commonality than differences, even knowing there are different ways to approach life. It is so nice to break down those “assumed” barriers and see the common goodness that comes forth.

I have also continued to donate to various causes which support various aspects of health/wellbeing, communication of knowledge, data-based understanding of the world. Contra dance is one of those health/wellbeing activities. In this effort to “get the word out” I have started seeing it should go beyond the contra dance community. With that in mind, I am mentioning it to people where I go and seems to have gotten favorable reception. I’m slowing working on public speaking/storytelling and/or podcast type of videos to share that our basic nature in this modern world can work against our wellbeing. I NEARLY WORRIED MYSELF TO DEATH could be the title with a sub-title of THE GIFT OF MY TWO CANCERS. I have continued to build on data-based information/knowledge as shown in References so what is presented is the specialized work of many people. I have been exceptionally fortunate in having a partner in life that is also knowledgeable in the area of well-being, my wife Cynthia L Moore, who has helped identify substantive information sources. There are a number of caring friends who directly or indirectly give support to what I’m trying to do here, when we share knowledge openly, we all win. May the reader gain by taking what applies to them in fulfilling their own “BE ALL YOU WERE MEANT TO BE”.

2025-02-24

Talked with three principals at Country Dance and Song Society about donating over and above my planned donation. The idea was directed to get the word out about the positive health effects of contra dance and other dances on wellbeing in this day of additional stressors. However, what I was thinking did not fit the 5 year CDSS Strategic Plan. What I realized shortly after is that I didn’t get what I thought I wanted but took the time to see there is a better way to utilize my time and money and it opened up more possibilities than I had envisioned earlier. And, I can utilize the good material and programs from CDSS around here and beyond the dance community.

At both the Friday night contra, Greenwood, and Saturday night contra, Richmond, I was given the microphone to tell the dancers why I was providing the blank name tag buttons. It is because at 81 years young, with part of my left foot missing the contra dance helped me through two cancers and that along with the band, the caller and the volunteers, their presence was part of my healing process. The buttons were a “thank you” for being a part of my healing. But because I was nervous, I forgot to tell them to see the rest of the story accessed via the QR code next to where the buttons were available.

As a result of not having the buttons at George Marshall’s Tropical Dance Vacation earlier this month, I posted a note near the food line. That note said essentially “WHY DO I DANCE…for FUN and my oncologist stated I was in remission….KEEP DANCING”

This past week I contacted the homeowner’s association to set up a room to tell my story. The title might be “HOW CONTRA DANCE HELPED ME THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT CANCERS TO REMISSION”, or something to that effect. This is a practice run for taking my story on the road outside of the contra dance community to share the healing effects of contra dance on me.

Joan’s LMOA presentation on this past Saturday on MINDFUL MOVEMENT reminded me I need to follow up on Anna’s REST, RESTORE, REJUVINATE presentation about the different parts of the nervous system [sympathetic vs parasympathetic] last month courtesy of https://www.hygeiawellnesspark.com/.

2025-01-18 I have been working on what best way to support what I have experienced in the positive effects on physical and mental health via this website and activities in contra dance. One part of this is QCD donations to a few local dance groups and some to Country Dance and Song Society https://cdss.org/. The other part is how to more effectively make use of my resources of time and dollars.

During the Winter Contradancers Delight Holiday I danced ~25 hours between Dec. 26-30, 2024, and spent moore time telling people the story of the “CCC” on the blank name buttons. Hits on the website went way up. I wonder how many will come back and see this blog posting? How can I better “market” what I’ve learned about lifestyle change for a healthier and flourishing life? There is some much moore to discover/write/document. How can I better “get the word out”?

The other activity is how to best conserve my financial resources in support of this work? Should it be a non-profit private foundation? or simply a non-profit or a for-profit organization? What I have been doing so far is seems to be a hobby that is incurring expenses that go beyond being just for fun and that there should be some sort of tax advantage even if the overall $$ are going out. I don’t want this endeavor to cost me which will take away from the $$ could be going to QCDs or take away from my retirement savings.

This past week was great in relation to interacting with CDSS and the dance last night. Details at Jan 11-18, 2025.

2024-12-27 – night – A brake in the dancing for Warren to share feelings about people who have been to the dance and are no longer with us and I again get pretty teary eyed as I AM so fortunate to be here.

2024-12-27 – afternoon – Added to LYMPHOMA CHEMO TREATMENTLYMPHOMA CHEMO TREATMENT 2024-12-27 I’m at Contradancers Delight Holiday near Morgantown, WV. Dancing to get a “fix” of good/great medicine by dancing with energy. Resting in the afternoon I’m reading FB posts on the Cancer Survivors and Supporters page dealing with individuals’ neuropathy from the chemo. I tell Cynthia about it and she says “I have seen it”. I had a pretty significant cry because I am SO fortunate that I never had any significant amount of it. Could this be a part of dance before, during, and after my chemo treatments?

Added to TWO CANCERS TWO STORIES and WELL-BEING & FLOURISHING and LYMPHOMA CHEMO TREATMENT

2024, December 25-26

Added Celebrate Crushing Cancer

Changed BACKSTORY and BUMPS into BACKSTORY and BUMPS Summary and BACKSTORY and BUMPS Details, added TIMELINE and PERSONAL BELIEFS and OBSERVATIONS, and REVISIONS.

2024, December 14

Added “drafts”/ beginnings for BACKSTORY and BUMPS, WELL-BEING and FLOURISHING

2024, December 13

Re-worded last paragraphs to Study and Story of Well-Being

2024, December, 11

Yesterday got my one year scan

2024, November 27

Occasionally going back and thinking about where I was a year ago compared to where I am now. Here are some recent thoughts since I’m hitting one year anniversaries to various aspects of the last cancer.

Two years ago I sometimes was scared to go up and down the stairs even holding the handrail or take a walk for fear of falling and not being able to get up. I was also taking PT for walking and balance. But I knew I had to move, to put one foot in front of the other. Anything like a pushup was totally out of the question. Last year I could do one push up. For the past several weeks I can do 2 sets of 10 each if I get at least a day in-between.

November 01, 2024, is the first anniversary of the oncologist telling me there is no detected cancer. However, in the middle of December, 2023, began the mild PTSD which I talk about later, including how it has been positive.

Recently I talked to a person I’ve known for a long time but not much until recently. That person said they had just started radiation treatment for their cancer, similar to the cancer I had many years ago. Their partner said I was the first person outside the family that knew. This reminded me of how it was when I first learned of my new cancer. So unsure of what to do and what to say to other people as if I had lost control of my life since I wasn’t settled on how serious it was, what my treatment should be and in general not having specific answers for myself, much less to tell others.

It’s been my experience that some people want to talk about their cancer experience and others don’t. I can understand both viewpoints. For some people it is healing to talk about their fears and find out that they are not alone, that there might be other ways to view their situation and learn and grow physically and/or emotionally. For others, they may have seen or been aware of some very significant situations and don’t want to have it rehashed, too painful or in denial or simply it is behind them and they are focusing on the present and future. I’ve also seen where a person wanted to talk to others but only in certain limited instances. About a year ago I was quite unsure about bringing up my cancer story, especially to people I had not seen in a long time or were new to me. I didn’t want a “pity party”. I took a risk and was complimented on speaking up at a group breakfast one day for bringing up the subject. Later that person would not talk about it in the presence of their partner. I later learned that partner was adamant about not talking on any aspect of cancer. Without assurance of positive outcomes it certainly is a “no man’s land” out there.  But for me it is healing AND I continue to learn and grow and thrive through sharing the experience.

I was talking to a cancer survivor who, like me, had had chemo treatment. In some ways I thought I was pretty special since my first cancer I had radiation treatment and my second cancer had chemo so here I am having both types of treatment depending on the cancer. In this particular conversation I learned that the other person who had chemo was also having radiation at the same time. And in addition it wasn’t external beam radiation, it was Brachy radiation. It seems as though there are just so many different types of cancers and so many approaches for treatment. And once you get the treatment will there be a relapse?

Facebook is most interesting in the sense that you go scrolling through and so often something will pop up related to cancer. I have looked at a couple cancer Facebook groups. Some seem to be better at filtering out ads for magical solutions and such. One thing I gain from reading them is how fortunate I have been, it’s simply reinforcing the gratitude of what I’ve had so far. For whatever the traditional medical treatments, I come away feeling that the lifestyle change that I made by being really scared in my first cancer and reading the book radical remission has really helped my body with regard to not only cancer but just overall physical and mental health. It reinforces the connection of the mind and the body. This results in my feeling to try and keep down my stress, especially my emotional stress, to enhance my immune system.

My wife Cynthia [https://www.hygeiawellnesspark.com/] has pointed out recently we need movement. We have the heart to move the blood and lungs to move the air but there is no organ for movement of the lymph in our bodies. Moving our bodies as what moves the lymph through our bodies. We were made to move both mind and body.

I am anxious to talk about stress, internal and external, good and bad, emotional and physical as well as the mild PTSD soon.

Check back to see additions.