I used to numb the area with a spray that is now known to compromise healthy skin tissue, then various topical meds that never worked for me; then I tried ice, but by the time everything got set up for the draw, it was more hassle than it was worth. So now I go commando and just suck it up.

When is boring preferable to interesting? Cancer appointments. No one wants to be the “interesting” patient.

It’s not my time to stop. Not yet. I still have plenty of bounce in me.

If you are interested in supporting local cancer resources, here are my recommendations.

A fallen leaf is nothing more than a summer’s wave good-bye… The heat begins to sustain itself, balance. Like the equinox I am honoring. The teens leave, I remain. I want to be reflective but I’m just grateful to have had a summer. I thought I’d be long gone in March.

As we headed outside, summer temperatures and a rain-free day meant that none of us had shoes on. Suddenly I channeled John McLane, the lead character in Die Hard, who performed most of the movie with bare feet, including the brutal scene where he walks on broken glass. “Hey!” I shouted to my family. “Take your shoes!”

We clicked instantly. We laughed so much, like the time I sat down to rest against a wall during a beer festival, happily digesting my bratwurst, the now-empty paper plate by my side. A few people walked by me, said something that sounded kind even in German, bent down and threw some coins on my plate. I was puzzled. When Michi returned from getting us some soda (wink), I shared my confusion about what happened. She burst out laughing, gasping out, “They think you’re a bum!”