Monday, August 25, 2008

Pandora’s Box, Voltaire

Aloha!

I feel good and will elaborate more this week. I want my posts to be fun for you, empowering, and uplifting. Thought and action provoking may be a bonus.

In Greek mythology, ''Pandora's box'' is the large jar (πιθος pithos) carried by Pandora (Πανδώρα) that contained all the evils of mankind—greed, vanity, slander, lying, envy, pining—and hope. Pandora had been given a large jar and instructed by Zeus to keep it closed, but she had also been given the gift of curiosity, and ultimately opened it. When she opened it, all of the evils of mankind escaped from the jar, although Pandora was quick enough to close it again and keep one value inside: hope.

The analogy of Pandora’s Box is that hope was found in the box. The truth is hope was found in the box because hope is everywhere. Hope and Love are within us and everywhere around us in everything and everyone. Seek and find.

"I have only ever made one prayer to God, a very short one: O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God granted it. ", Voltaire

Later this week I will elaborate on how ridiculous my enemy is. My analogy is fun and I had a good gut laugh with a friend creating the analogy.

Peace and Love,
Jack

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Dog Training, New clinical trial, Doggie Brain Tumor Hope

Aloha,

A quick post to stay relevant and be fun.

Mojo and I used to do agility dog training and competition and Mojo earned his Companion Dog Certificate from the American Kennel Club. Mojo is a good dog. We are doing a little bit of training while I am healing.

A couple of concepts I learned in dog training is to be interesting to your dog and keep dog training fun. Use what motivates your beloved dog like a cookie or a toy. Training can be fun for you and your beloved dog. I also believe the results will be more stable and consistent for you and your pup. The training you do for your dog can save his life.

I found a new clinical trial that offers hope for doggies and for humans. I am not on that clinical trial and may not be if my clinical trial works. I am taking care of my breathing, bones, bowels, and brains to keep my options open for future treatments. I'll tell you, preparing for another brain surgery is a repugnant thought for me so my thought is I am preparing for a long, hike in the wilderness next Spring to enjoy the spring wild flowers.

Peace and Love,
Jack

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Word Salad Tossed With Jack Dressing, Identity, Is it easy to be me?, 100 Beats Per Minute, Jack’s Four B’s of health (Breathing, Bowles, Bones, Brain

Aloha,

Word Salad:Identity, Communication, Esteem, Sustainability, 1 million years, geologic time, galactic time, clean, grandchildren, hope, love, dreams, privilege, profit, environment, ecology, conservation, clean, human, human rights, civil rights, morality Appreciation, Capability, Space and Time Perception, The balance, Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity, Goodness, Paradigms

I am doing something a little bit different today. Above are some words not entirely picked by random. Put the words together for you if you would like.

Who am I? I used to identify with exercise and health. My identity has experienced a transformation since June 10, 2007. That day is the day I experienced a bike wreck and the paramedics report says I was having seizures at the scene of the accident on beautiful, scenic highway 242 in the Oregon Cascades. I broke my back, received a concussion, bruised my lung, lacerated my liver and had road rash and other icky stuff. At least one oncologist believes I had enough brain tumor cells to have caused seizure activity that led to the bike wreck. I believe June 10, 2007 was day one of serious symptoms of brain cancer.

It would be a stretch to consider two brain surgeries, 1 knee surgery three hospitalizations within about a year a picture of health. I promised my Drs. I would not exercise intensely for awhile. Sunday I monitored my heart rate rise to about 100 beats per minute by merely walking my two, beautiful, German Shepherd Dogs, "Mojo" and "Salena", by the South Fork of the Yuba River. I did keep my intracranial pressure low as I worked on some gentle yoga routines for people just getting into yoga or people dealing with injuries.

Esteem could be defined as value but I like the definition of regard or affection. Working on the quantum mechanics level we can help people feel good by establishing our own self esteem. By feeling good about ourselves we put that energy out in the environment and people around us, feel good. It works with dogs and cats too. Practice makes permanent. Practice what you want in life.

Is it easy to be me? Every morning I get up and set my intention for the day, “What am I capable of today?” “What can I do that is fun, today?” “What should I do to heal, today?” “How may I help others, today?” As soon as I wake up, I am in a state of mindful awareness keeping my intracranial pressure as low and regular as is practicable and altering the pressure to keep the breathing system working properly. I use Eintstein's theory of general relativity and especially gravity to my benefit when I can. I do not always do the calculus but the general gist of universal principals is enough. Jack lumps the entire cardiopulmonary vascular system into the breathing system much of the time. Too many systems get complex for me to manage mindfully. Input and output, bowels, is important to me. Maintaining teeth and keeping fresh, natural, healthy foods in my system while keeping unprescribed chemicals such as artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives out of my system is important to me because I do not want my colon, liver, skin, or kidneys distracted from curing cancer. I walk and move generally with thought of proper alignment of my bones. I cannot do activity that I love like intense bike riding, running, or intense yoga but I can walk around. My energy is low but it is fun to feel a rib fall into correct alignment or feel the head of the humorous tuck up into the sweet spot in my shoulder. What good are brains? I believe the brains can help with initiating action to my other systems. The brain is also a marvelous gatherer of information like sight, sound, smell, feeling, and taste. I have been preoccupied with brain stuff lately. I suppose the nervous system is a fairly important system in the human body. Perhaps I will share how to take care of the brains if I figure out how to take care of my brain for myself. Perhaps it is as simple as resting and not over thinking everything? I do practice powerful, good thoughts to pull myself out of my head and get into my body thus resting the thinking bone.

Check out the Center for Disease Control Website, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/plague/index.htm. There are cases of Bubonic Plague every year in the United States and world wide. This is just a factoid I thought was interesting and wanted to share. I read a book on the San Francisco Plague of 1890-1908 or so. I had never heard of this plague. I suppose plague is boring compared to Earthquake and fire. I found the economics, ignorance, politics, science, and efforts fascinating in working the problem.

I want my posts to be relevant and fun for you. My time was wasted by a popular "news" program the other day so I am mindful to give you something you can use if only that I believe I am healing and I am keeping up the good fight against the odds of curing the incureable.

Peace and Love,

Jack

Friday, August 15, 2008

A Tale of Two Brain Surgeries Part I, I Can Pull My Head Out Long Enough

I have had two brain surgeries and I can boast to not have received one cut, scar, suture, bruise, or other mark which may indicate that my head was up my butt at the time.

I believe both surgeries were exactly what they should have been considering what we know and knew of my condition and the state of modern health care.

My first surgery was an emergency and came after three weeks of nausea, vomiting, intense headaches, and seizures which followed a knee rebuild surgery three weeks before. My latest surgery followed episodes of musical hallucinations and a grand mal seizure but otherwise good health, eating, and exercise. This surgery also has been monitoring the development of the brain tumor for 8 months and my first surgery was an emergency dealing with the tumor as a new phenomenon within Jack’s skull.

I attribute no scars on my butt to my ability to pull my head out just long enough to attend to important matters like my own brain surgery. I did make it through knee surgery without incurring scars on my butt as well but if I remember correctly, the head bone is not connected to the knee bone. Do not quote me on that, I am not a physician. The butt bone does get pretty close to the knee bone though.

Peace and Love,
Jack

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I played golf and had fun, Word Salad, Socrates, Feelings

I played golf and had fun yesterday. Afterwards I attended a nice Lake Wildwood Men’s club barbecue. The food and company were good. The multiple conversations were taxing on my communication’s processor but I remember preferring to socialize with humans personally and intimately rather than in chaotic, noisy, social settings. Overall my health is good. I am looking forward to scheduling my suture removal from the side of my head and other follow up appointments. My brain, bowels, and bones are working swell and within normal limits although I have all these systems dialed into the relaxation, recovery, healing spectrum of the utilization scale. I can feel my brain heal although the experts will tell you that is not possible. Perhaps the feeling I am feeling is the bone knitting, the skin knitting, the skin sliding along sutures, or even healthy glial, brain cells, saying hello to each other?

Word salad, Appreciation, judgment, consideration, patience, decisiveness, experience, wisdom, could, should, need, want, may, can, has, hope, dream, love, determination, truth, belief, sun, moon, dark, light, masculine, feminine, good, singing birds, grand children, people, teach, learn, absolute, eternal, energy, love, evolution, revolution, stability, fun, excitement, natural, control, grace, win, win, hot, cold, comfort, feeling, much, all, communication, balance, universal, .

I have a couple of quotes I balance from time to time I will share with you today.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”, Socrates

“Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge. They are chaotic, sometimes painful, sometimes contradictory, but they come from deep within us. And we must key into those feelings... This is how new visions begin. “, Audre Lorde

It is a beautiful day! Time to love on some German Shepherd Dogs.

Peace and Love,
Jack

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Eight More Years!, Oregon believes in Me!

Oregon has reissued my drivers license until my birthday 2016! I am stoked! Oregon believes in me! I believe I will be enjoying thoughts, feelings, moments, conversations, and activity with this world for many decades to come. The confidence the Oregon Department of Transportation has tangibly shown for our efforts in fighting glioblastoma multiforme inspires me to keep up the fight.

Every day, in every way, I feel good energy spiraling up through my body and healing at the quantum physics and general relativity levels of my being. My folks are great support for me and help in the daily efforts of healing and general living. I am eating well, only taking prescribed medications, resting, keeping my intracranial pressure at safe pressures.

How does one influence autonomic bodily functions? It helps to be a Jedi Knight, yogi, or find out what works for you. I do not recommend medications unless directed by a physician. I recommend in jesting only healthy substances, hydrating properly, resting, and appropriate, daily, activity. The activity can be as simple as putting on one's shoes.


Peace and Love,
Jack

Monday, August 11, 2008

Normality, Life is good, listening to you,

I know I tell people I feel good but I feel I should elaborate on that feeling. To keep this post as empowering for the people I love, I will keep the feeling positive. I am looking forward to normality. Healing the scar and bone up side my head, returning to work and contributing to my work team, fly fishing, bike riding, yoga, people hugging, dog walking, weed pulling, fence post digging, learning to salsa dance. I am looking forward to normality. Life is good.

Is this song written by "The Who" in the rock opera "Tommy" about our role in the universe and how we can open up to grace and the beauty of each other to revel in all the goodness this abundant universe has to offer? There are and abundance of possibilities. Perhaps this song is about a relationship present, past or future for any of us?


Listening to You / See Me Lyrics, “The Who”Tommy:
"See me,
feel me,
touch me,
heal me.
See me,
feel me,
touch me,
heal me.
See me,
feel me,
touch me,
heal me.
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me, heal me, heal me.
Chorus:
Listening to you I get the music.
Gazing at you I get the heat.Following you I climb the mountain.I get excitement at your feet!Right behind you I see the millions.On you I see the glory.
From you I get opinions.From you I get the story.Listening to you I get the music.Gazing at you I get the heat.Following you I climb the mountain.I get excitement at your feet!"

The universe is vast. Each and every one of us are precious and every now and then, we can make our verb tenses apropriate.

Peace and Love, Open to grace,
Jack

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Brundle Fly Hair Head, At my folks home

Aloha!

I am not a staple head after this surgery. Dr. Lechter used sutures that resemble "Brundle fly hairs" from the movie "The Fly" with Jeff Goldblum. I feel good. I am sleeping. I am at my parents beautiful home in California.

My yoga is mostly quantum physics and breathing now. I think about you and the goodness that you have brought into my life. That goodness brings positive energy to me and creates more positive energy. On the quantum level of physics, by the "Law of Attraction", like attracts like. I think happy, healthy, loving, healing thoughts and you know what?, I feel good!

I do love sustainable, reusable, clean energy. Thank you for providing me the energy in abundance.

I believe I will put together a more sortid, blow by blow of the surgery for my gentle readers in an upcoming post. The docs did some very cool, brain, surgeon stuff that I think was courageous,skellful and creative. I like the results. I think the surgery has increased my ability to levitate. That has to be good thing doesn't it?

Peace and Love,
Jack

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

I am on the Internet

I feel good. I have enough peripheral vision to continue the activities I love including one of my favorite act ivitiies which is learning new activities.

Thank you all for your Love, prayers, good thoughts, and good feelings. I am using them to their highest and best use.

Brain tumor surgery hurts. It may not hurt as much as walking across the Isthmus of Panama with boots one size too small but it hurts. I have not taken pain meds today. I did take a walk with my lovely nurse Josephine which felt good. My parents and our family friend Lorrie visited me today.

Be Well.

Peace and Love,
Jack "Banzai" Burton

Monday, August 4, 2008

I am off to see the wizard!, Apropriately Accesorized

Aloha!

I am ready! I am wearing my wooden, Tibetan Prayer Beads a beautiful stranger gave me. I am wearing tie dyed socks my daughter Taylor made me, one of my favorite pairs of boxer shorts, a tee shirt I wore in Paris, a doo rag a friend gave me to hide my stylish hair doo, a pair of shorts I wore in Europe, and a way cool watch a friend gave me for my birthday. I am carrying my Moatengator, miltary unit coin, a piece of art glass, and my knee brace.

As you can see, I am apropriately accessorized for Brain Surgery. I am dressed for success and anticipate a beautiful, good result from surgery. I will do a little yoga, some asana, some meditation, and lots of sweet breathing. Thoughts of you bring smiles to my face and warmth to my heart. I feel good!

Life is good!

Peace and Love,

Jack Sunanju Bonzai Burton
"Look at where you want to go, not at what you do not want to hit."
Keith Codde , "A Twist of the Wrist, a Motorcycle Road Racers Handbook"

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Musical Hallucinations, Yoga Grand Mal Seizure, Prepared for Brain Surgery

The recent events that led up to my surgery tomorrow, August 4, 2008, in chronological order are:

July 12, 2008: I had a grand mal seizure in my Saturday morning yoga class after sharing with two of my most excellent Anusara yoga instructors that I was experiencing musical hallucinations. I was trying to “follow” the musical hallucination to see if I could associate the phenomena with a movie or an experience. I have not been able to associate the hallucination with any specific event.

My excellent yoga class took good care of me during the grand mal and had the paramedics get me to the Sacred Heart Medical Center’s Emergency Room.

I have been on seizure medications since July 12.

July 18, 2008: I had an MRI and follow up oncology appointment at the University of California Medical Center. The MRI indicated that the clinical trial I am on is ineffective and that I will be on a new clinical trial with a vaccine made from my own tumor. I am affectionately referring to the vaccine as McKenzie River Valley Jack 2008. I think this vaccine is going to be the silver bullet that will cure the cancer between my ears.

How does one prepare for brain surgery? Do yoga, teach yoga, trail run in the Willamette National Forest with your beautiful 10 year old German Shepherd Dog, “Mojo”, eat natural foods, get rest, and tap into the goodness within us and all around us. There are also a ton of Drs. Appointments, work human resources stuff, and insurance stuff to attend to. I did golf 18 holes with a friend yesterday and made some gorgeous shots. Golf was a great distraction from the thoughts of having someone I just met cracking open my skull and removing pieces of Jack out of my skull.

I would write more but I am fatigued from pre surgery stuff and I am looking forward to relaxing for surgery tomorrow morning.

I do have something to share with you all. My cancer is actually Electroids from Planet 10 by way of the Eighth Dimension. Dr. Parsa is a master of Sinanju and with me being a Jedi Knight, I believe we will enjoy a curative outcome and meet the challenge with love, strength, courage, power, skill, speed, creativity, stamina, and we will have fun curing the incurable.

Jack “Buckaroo Bonzai” Burton
"It takes love, courage or genius to make things smaller, simpler, or peaceful."