How I’m doing

By Curt Swarm

Last week I wrote about it being my 36-year anniversary for being clean and sober. And on that day, which was Monday, Nov. 3, I was also having a brain MRI and full-body CT scan at Iowa City. As you know, I’m recovering from cancer.

Well, the response I received from well wishers, both known and unknown, was just overwhelming. I’m humbled, and so impressed by the number of people who are willing to reach out with prayers and well wishes. There’s nothing wrong with this world when we are willing to help, encourage and pray for each other.

Here’s the results of that MRI and CT scan—I’M CANCER FREE! YIPPEE! Just hearing the good news made me feel better. It was such good news to receive on my 36-year sobriety anniversary! Everything is going to be just fine.

This was on Monday. On Tuesday, I went to work as usual. I’m an insurance agent and this is the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). At a client’s house I was bitten on my left hand by the client’s dog. I didn’t think too much of it, and the client was awfully sorry and embarrassed about her dog’s behavior.

The next day my hand swelled up like a cow’s udder, so I was forced to go to Quick Care. Of course the dog bite had to be reported to make sure the dog’s vaccinations were up to date. I felt worse for the client than I did about my hand. I was given an antibiotic and ointment that seems to be taking the swelling down.

But the fireworks weren’t over. I’ve talked about our dog, Buddy’s Cone of Shame before. He licks his paws to the point where they bleed so we have to keep the Cone of Shame on him. Poor Buddy. He can’t even scratch his ears.

Well, anyway, I turned Buddy loose in his pen the other night to do his duty before bedtime. There happened to be a rabbit in his pen, and Buddy, with cone on, took after it like a rocket. It looked so funny that cone bouncing across the yard. But, he caught the rabbit! I couldn’t believe it. With cone on!

I let Buddy have his reward for awhile, before I took the rabbit away. Buddy was so excited and proud of himself. He now sits at the kitchen door begging to be let out. Imagine that.

To combat the disruption to my digestive system caused by the cancer immunotherapy (it gave me colitis), I’ve taken to drinking mint tea for breakfast along with dry toast. For lunch, I discovered Arby’s Steak Nuggets. They’re great—cubes of lean meat that are so satisfying. I don’t use any of the sauces offered, and just enjoy the smoked meat flavor. For supper I’m free to enjoy Ginnie’s home cook’n. This change to my diet—mint tea with plain toast for breakfast, and Steak Nuggets for lunch, has mellowed out my digestive system and given me increased energy. It’s also freed Ginnie up in the morning. Since she doesn’t have to fix me breakfast, she can get her steps in on the treadmill.

I said all that to say this: I’m cancer free, was bit by a dog, Buddy caught a rabbit with his Cone of Shame on, and I’ve changed my diet. If you can make any sense out of all that, you’re doing better than me. It’s a crazy, mixed up world, like confetti falling from skyscrapers on a New Year’s Day Parade. We have to go with the flow and put everything in God’s hands. Good things are all around us. We need to look at the bright side.

As the title of a book by Richard Carlson says, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff...and it’s all small stuff.”

The best days are ahead for Ginnie and me.

Contact Curt Swarm at curtswarm@yahoo.com