Living with Stage Four - From Darkness Comes a Blessing

"The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time." - Abraham Lincoln

I'm five months into this cancer diagnosis. I still teach 12 classes a week. I workout twice a day, doing push-ups, leg lifts, sit-ups -- adding up to about 1,000 each per week.

Chi Kung (Qi Gong) is part of my regimen as well as bag work, forms and wazas (short series of martial movements).

I have not yet experienced any weakness or discomfort. I continue with life as I always have, and I feel blessed and grateful for that.

Several dozens of people have wished me well and supported me -- many I have not heard from in years. It has been very gratifying to hear how people have benefited from my teaching and place value on our friendship.

In this way, a "terminal illness" has been a blessing.

My oncology doctor retired, so I met the new doctor a few weeks ago. He said, "You don't look like someone with fourth stage cancer."

A woman at my Optimist Club said, "I have a hard time feeling sorry for you because you look so good."

Perhaps all this training, meditation, and positive outlook is working. We'll see.