LIVESTRONG Good wishes for the ones who need it...

Well, in the tradition of iflitifloat (without her common sense), I'll use this chance to clue the board in on my travails.

As some of you already know, I was treated for stage IIB testicular cancer earlier this year. From January to May 2010 I had two surgeries and two rounds of chemo, was declared cured and sent on my way.

Unfortunately, my case has proven a tough nut to crack, if you'll pardon the pun. Routine scans a few weeks ago showed suspicious masses in my lungs, and a biopsy this past week confirmed that the nut cancer is back and has taken its second-rate act on the road. I'm preparing for some more (and more intensive) chemo, and there are contingency plans if that doesn't do the trick.

This is oversharing, even for me, but I'm kind of at a point where I just don't give a sh*t any more. Again, in the grand tradition of iflitifloat, don't feel the need to treat me with kid gloves. I remain, after all, something of an a-hole a lot of the time, and cancer hasn't seemed to change that. Just ask PalJoey :) (Just a joke. I promise. No hating!)

Updated On: 11/6/10 at 05:04 PM

PRS - I had no idea.

I will keep good thoughts for you, and hope to see your crankiness around for a very very long time.

Ah, Phyllis... I never posted about my first round with cancer or when, the following year, I fell and broke my arm in three places. This time around, with a little boost here, following an impulsive post on Facebook, I just plopped it out there for public consumption. The good wishes, support, and liver jokes turned out to be a definite spirit booster. I knew you were also going through your own version of the same problem, and am glad it's out there publicly now so you can have the same experience.

I think my reluctance to share in the past was fear of being treated differently, when we know that we still are who we are, and hopefully always will be. A**hole. S*lf-righteous b*tch. Whatever.

I suspect that you and I aren't the only people struggling with scary health issues. But right now, I am overwhelmed with the volume of issues that you have to deal with just to get to a place (geographically) so you can dive into the next round of treatment. All my good thoughts are shooting out into the cosmos for the next two weeks to go smoothly and for the chemo to kick the as of your nutlung sh*t!

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Phyllis - thank you for sharing. I will keep you in my thoughts ... even if I don't visit here that often any more to see your more colorful behavior on a regular basis.

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I have never been able to express the encouraging and supportive words/thoughts thing like the rest of these wonderful people, though I think and feel them for both of you, so I bring the pretty....

A picture i know PRS quite enjoys..


Stay strong!

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Works for both my friends!

Iflit, you are in my prayers as well my dear. I hope all of my dear friends here can have health, love and happiness.

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I think "Boobliver & Nutlung" would be a perfect vehicle for Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch after Night Music closes.

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I like what Namo had to say. Well, I like what everyone has to say, but I like what Namo said about thinking this stuff was silly, then realizing the value, because I'm pretty much the same way. The internet has really redefined what constitutes "friendship" to me and while I waffled last night as I was doing my "great revelation" to the board, it just seemed to feel right. Plus, as morbid as this sounds, if anything ever happened to me, I'd like people to know the truth. There are STILL people who vanished off this board that I wonder whatever became of. At any rate, I've got a lot of support in my real world and it's nice to have that in my cyber world, too.

I really want Betty Buckley in Boobliver and Nutlung, maybe as a salty lesbian forensics expert?

Apropos of nothing, I just found this picture and it filled a hole in my heart I didn't know was there.

That works on so many levels, Sue.

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I tried to put Sweet n Low in my coffee and my boyfriend said that he thinks I gave myself cancer.