It's the closest I have to a website now (that will maybe change sometime in the near future, but who knows).
All I known is that - with the COVID-19 apocalypse upon us - I have no excuse to NOT update the old blog-aroo.
So... in that vein...
Old Doctor Zombie will be dusting off the Midnight Theater of Terror and making a bunch of updates. This will include some horror-themed travelogues I've done, some general updates and writerly shenanigans, and some updates on work I've sold and that will be published over the next few months.
All of this, however, has been overshadowed by some pretty big news on my part. It's not the best news (he wrote, with a masterful flourish of understatement).
You see, a few months back (around the middle of November 2019), I realized that I was having trouble catching my wind. About that same time, I pulled a muscle in my side. It was pretty debilitating. After toughing it out for a month or so, I said fuck it and went to the doctor. I used the health services clinic at my workplace. The doctor, at that time, focused an awful lot on the shortness of breath - you see, my dad died of a major heart attack about 3 1/2 years ago. So, the thought was that it might be a heart problem.
So, they did nothing about the stitch in my side, did an x-ray, and saw what might have been pneumonia in my lung. They gave me an antibiotic and wanted me to follow up with a cardiologist and a CT scan. Thing is, I was now getting other 'pulled muscles' in my core - and they were really painful - and the breathlessness was getting worse.
That didn't sit right with me, so I followed up with my regular GP. He didn't think it was my heart at all, but did think I should get a CT. So, at the end of February, he called me back with the bad news.
The CT scan showed my cancer was back.
For those who don't remember - I was diagnosed with male breast cancer in 2009. I was treated surgically, went to the doctor for a couple years afterwards, and was told I was clear.
Unfortunately, cancer sometimes comes back.
I have stage 4 metastasized male breast cancer. It's in my bones and in my lymph nodes. The pulled muscles I was feeling was cancer causing my lymph nodes to swell, and the other general soreness I attributed to arthritis or just middle age, was the bone cancer. The breathing issues was because of swollen lymph nodes as well - they were pressing against my lung and irritating it. This led to a pleural effusion - which is basically fluid on the lungs.
So, I've now - since March 12 - been on chemotherapy. The thing is my oncologist is confident that he has a good course of treatment in order. He has people who live for years on this treatment. And, I've responded really well to it - which is good. The hope is to fight it to a standstill and get at least a few more years under my belt. I've a lot more writing to do. I've got a lot more time I need to spend with my family. I've still got time. So I hope to make the most of it.
And - with the compromised lung, and lowered immune system - this whole COVID-19 is especially terrifying and worrisome. Seriously - a little over five months ago I was strong, healthy, working out several times a week. Now - I've got to worry about getting coronavirus and ending up on a ventilator. This is NOT the apocalypse I was hoping for. Fuck - there's exactly ZERO zombies in this one. COVID-19 is the WORST apocalypse.
Anyway - that's it for now.
Just know - Doctor Zombie is here for the foreseeable future.
I’m young, I’m strong, I have an amazingly supportive family, and I have a great doctor. I will survive this.
As Lord Byron said, “Love will find a way through paths where wolves fear to prey”.
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