Annually, around this time of year, a classic battle takes place on the gridiron to determine who among the 32 teams in the NFL is the best of the best. I'll take no sides in this year's contest (you should know by now who "my" team would be), but I think there are some striking parallels between this epic seasonal struggle of wits and will, and my personal conflict with cancer.
For example, the fracas going on inside my body has clear lines of good and evil. The good is the collection of prophylactic/supportive medications, and cocktail of therapies, that are aligned in an effort to hold back the advancing evil - the continuous development of myeloma cells within my metaphoric playing field. But the players on the two respective championship football teams aren't really a confrontation of good vs evil. Actually, overall they tend to be good sports who probably played college football together and always shake hands as friendly combatants at the end of the game. So that doesn't quite work.
When the game clock ticks down its last tock (even if overtime is required), there is a clear winner and the match is over. But in the life of a cancer patient, the result is never totally totally finalized or determined. Yes, there is the "five years clear" rule of thumb, but between metastases and medical uncertainties, you never really can be sure it's done. No cause for paranoia, but often no clear resolution. So, I guess that's NOT a similarity between my cancer and the Super Bowl either.
Oh wait, here's something that I share with my NFL brethren. Football players take the field sheathed in the latest lightweight, high-tech protective gear to give them every advantage of survival against the painful and often debilitating hits and strains that are all part of the play-by-play process. And I don a skimpy, paper-thin hospital gown with an open flap at the back (exposing my posterior), with yellow anti-slip socks to avoid falling down. So I guess that's not really similar at all, either.
Well, after all it is Super Bowl Sunday weekend, and despite that zeitgeist as suitable motivation, I gave it the old college try to make some comparisons between my clash with cancer and the Big Game - but it didn't work.
Sorry . . .
